Conflictions for the Heart
by Split Persona
Summary: Sequel to 'HotH'Formerly 'Confessions...' Anubis and Seiji have settled into what they believe is the perfect life. But will one night out destroy their happiness? YAOI EDITED! COMPLETED
1. Chapter 1

JC: Okay, this is JC, finally here with the redone, but not really changed version of CftH, now formerly _Confessions for the Heart_.

Kathrine: Catherine used to be the one working on this story, but lots of things happened and in the end I became the one working on it.

Catherine: You hurt Seiji! You're so mean! I can't believe what you've done to him in this story!

Kathrine: We're not even done yet.

JC: Anyway, this is the redone version everything being fixed as well as we can see. If there are still a few grammar or spelling errors, we did try.

Kathrine: Give us a break. Now enjoy.

Disclaimer: We do not own the Troopers or Masho. We only get to screw with everything in their lives and make them worse.

Warning: This is a YAOI/Shounen Ai story. There will be Het, but that is not the main in this story. There will be humor, angst, and twists. Most having to deal with ruining Seiji's life so we can make it all better later. Do not bother flaming, we'll just ignore it like usual.

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Conflictions for the Heart

By Kitty and JC

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Chapter 1

The day was glowing as the blue-haired man awoke from his slumber. He could feel the warmth next to him that had been a permanent fixture for a little over a month. The pain he had once felt was only a conflicting memory to the happiness of his present. He still thought of his other love, but not as often and not with the aching knot in his chest.

" Wake up love," his whispered to the sleeping form next to him. The blonde merely purred at the feel of the cool breath on his skin and cuddled closer to him. Anubis smiled affectionately at the innocence his lover showed when deep in clutches of sleep. He who was normally a light sleeper had been sleeping longer due to their 'eventful' evenings together.

He didn't want to wake the other man from his dreams, but he knew that they should get up. Mainly, it was because Anubis wanted to know of the surprise his blonde angel had spoke of the night before. Seiji had said that they had many things that they would do that day, but would not tell of what they were. Anubis, being a curious man, could not wait any longer.

" Seiji, love," Anubis whispered into his ear. " We really should get up."

" You just want to know what I've planned for the day," the blonde murmured with a small grin on his lips.

" So you weren't asleep?" Anubis chuckled. " My, you do like to make me wait."

" Only on some things," Seiji replied back. " You just look so cute when you're impatient."

" Well? Are you going to tell me now?" he asked.

" We're going out," Seiji answered. " A full day away from home." The blonde had no problem saying that word now. For with Anubis he felt completely at home and knew he never had to feel in the wrong about anything.

He thought back to the other Troopers, but quickly pushed them out of his mind. He knew he still wasn't ready to go back yet. Going back would mean answering a lot of questions he wasn't ready to answer right then. He himself had only found the truth a month ago and did not believe he could explain it all, especially since he was not fully clear on everything himself. He didn't know how to explain to them the pain he had felt and then tell them of the measures he took to rid himself of it.

" Where are we going to?" Anubis asked. " The forest? The mountains?"

" The city, of course," Seiji replied matter-of-factly.

" Nani?" Anubis face became one of a small frown.

" Come on love," Seiji gave him a pleading look. " You haven't been out of the apartment the entire time we've been here, save to eat at the traditional restaurant down the street. It will be good for you to see how the world has changed so that you can get used to it."

" I find no reason for us to have to go outside," Anubis countered. " I think we do just fine here."

" But you were in another realm for four hundred years," Seiji shot back calmly. " I thought that a man as curious about things as yourself would relish the thought of sightseeing your modern homeland."

" I believe we are just fine here," Anubis repeated. " Why bring in anything more then what we need, that being the need for each other?"

Seiji raised and eyebrow and knew exactly how to get his way in only a few small words. " You're afraid, aren't you?" he whispered.

" Nani?" Anubis looked appalled. " I have never been afraid about anything in my life." The blue-haired swordsman knew that this wasn't true. He knew that he was afraid that the world had changed too much and that he would never be able to get used to it. He stayed in the apartment with the few things he'd come to understand: refrigerators, microwaves, electricity, and cable television.

" Please love," Seiji had the '_starving-pleading needy puppy_' look in his eyes and Anubis knew that he couldn't refuse him. That look had given Seiji quite a lot of control in their relationship, due to Anubis' weakness from the blonde's hypnotic lavender/blue eyes.

" All right, Seiji," he sighed, showing his defeat. " You win. I will agree to this outing you have arranged, but believe me, I do intend to get something out of this."

" Fine," Seiji smiled and Anubis couldn't help, but forget his worries about his decision. Then Seiji's eye cut into a seductive gaze. " Would you like your payment for being so submissive now or later?"

" Me submissive?" Anubis chuckled a little. " Maybe I should put us on the TV so you can see where you are when me make love."

" Just shut up and kiss me," Seiji pulled Anubis lips towards his and the other man readily complied with the blonde's wishes. Everything else was forgotten as the two once again began to express their love for each other in most physical and intimate of ways.

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" What are we doing at such a large tower?" Anubis questioned as he stared up at the ten-story looking building Seiji had called, 'a mall.'

" We are here to get you some clothes," Seiji replied as he pulled him in through the glass doors. Already he had taken Anubis to a breakfast at a small homey restaurant, had a long walk in the park, went to a movie (where Anubis almost had a heart attack from the loud surround sound speakers), and visited the museum where Seiji knew Anubis would feel at home in.

Now they were going into the clothing stores to buy Anubis some more regular clothes. His clothes consisted of dress shirts and slack just like the ones Seiji had at the apartment. But the blonde knew that both of them needed something new for what he'd planned as their final move of the night. He smiled devilishly to himself as he thought of what he older lover would think of his choice of places to go.

" Are you sure we should do this?" Anubis was staring wide-eyed at the assemblages of people around them as they walked. The building itself seemed to be just as huge inside as it was outside, if not seeming larger. The people though, were assorted with different colored hair ranging from black to neon pink and seemed to meld together with the quick movements of others as they tried to get to their destinations.

" I'm sure," Seiji replied. " We're only going to this store right here." Seiji pointed to a store with the words, _For Every Type of Man,_ written above the doorway.

" Why are we here again?" Anubis stared at the place warily.

" To get some clothes for tonight," Seiji smirked. " The things we wear normally aren't going to work for what I have planned."

" What is this that you have planned?" Anubis asked as he had already ten times.

" I told you to wait and you'd see," Seiji placed a finger on his lips. " Now don't ask again or you won't get anything for me tonight afterwards."

" There was something afterwards?" Anubis had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

" Not if you keep asking me the same question that you know I won't answer," Seiji shook his head, the hair covering his right eye seemed to move and give Anubis a better view of both lavender/blue orbs.

" I'll be good," the blue-haired man promised with a smirk on his lips.

" You'd better," Seiji grinned as he pulled the other man into the store. Before Anubis, Seiji never would have even thought of showing affectionate emotions out in the open. His father and grandfather had taught him that such public displays were wrong for a man and should never be practiced. But with his lover at his side, the blonde didn't care. The harsh breeding of his family was the farthest thing from his mind.

The store was considerably empty when they entered and Anubis was able to give a sigh of relief. Seiji didn't stop walking until he'd reached a rack covered in clothes that were dark colored and leather looking. He knew that this was just the type of clothes that would be perfect the night's festivities. He never truly was a person for this kind of thing, but Touma had showed him was to look for.

He scanned the rack with a look of inspection at all that caught his eye. Then his eyes fell on a pair of pants that made left his mouth opened in awe. They were a pair of skin-tight, black leather with black elastic strings that tied up the outside of each leg. The designer had omitted the usual front of a button and zipper and replaced it with a 'x-shaped' metal buckle and Velcro.

The blonde had to force away the images of how fun it would be to take the pants off of Anubis. He knew it wouldn't do to have a large bulge in his pants right then. He grabbed the pair off the rack and began his search again. He then found a tight leather vest with satin lining on the inside for comfort that was closed by a zipper that only met to an inch above the bottom of it and three inches from the collar. Picturing the vest with the pants he had found left him slightly uncomfortable.

Taking the vest he walked over to the shoe section and found a pair of black mid-calf steel-toed boots that had an inch-high heal. They were closed with two metal zippers that came up the outside of the shoe and stopped so that there was a 'u-shaped' curve to the front. The blonde guessed that it was to make easier movements. Smiling at his soon-to-be perfect outfit, Seiji picked the shoes up and walked over to the wide spread jewelry and accessory section.

After paying for the clothes he knew would lead to a lot of sexual tension (if they hadn't already), the blonde knew it was time to find Anubis. He found his blue-haired lover staring at the rack across from the one he had found his treasures at. He grinned at the look in Anubis' eyes, one of confusion and lustful visions. He walked over quietly and blew a cool breath on one of his sensitive ears.

Anubis shivered and turned to face him quickly. He pushed the daydreams of Seiji out of his mind and concentrated on the real thing. Seiji cut his eyes in a seductive gaze and asked, " Find something you like?"

" You could say that. But isn't the style of the clothes a little uncouth?" Anubis turned his glance back onto the clothes he had been staring at when his images of Seiji appeared in his mind.

" These are just the clothes that are needed for what I have planned," Seiji stated. " But it would be a pity, I already found something that I know will look _very_ good on you."

" I didn't find something for myself," Anubis shook his head.

" For me then?" Seiji gave his '_all-knowing devil_' look and smirked. " Then get it. It's only fair that if I buy your clothes then you buy mine."

" But I wouldn't want you to see it yet," Anubis replied.

" Then you pay for it," Seiji held out his credit card. " It's the same way that I let you do it at the restaurant. You just give the card to her when she asks for payment."

" All right," the blue-haired man nodded. He took the card and Seiji nodded before turning to walk to the door. He waited patiently for Anubis to come out and thought about how well the day had gone. He himself wasn't too fond of spending his time around people when he preferred seclusion, but Anubis' stayed away out of society more due to years of solitude in another realm.

He seemed to be less weary of crowds now, but he knew it would take a little more time. _Perfect,_ Seiji smiled to himself. _This day is going to be perfect._ But the blonde had forgotten one of the first rules he had taught himself as a child. 'Don't ever think something is perfect for it can easily get worse.' And that's exactly what happened.

" Nii-chan!!" a voice yelled from nearby. "Nii-chan! Seiji!"

Oh God no, Seiji prayed silently. _Please no._

" Nii-chan," the voice was so close and then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and stared into the innocent brown eyes of his younger sister, Satsuki.

" Hey Nii-chan!" she smiled broadly.

" Hello 'Suki," Seiji returned with a forced smile. He was actually glad to see his sister after so long, but he knew that no good could come from her catching him there.

" I haven't seen you in sooo long," she snarled. " What the hell happened? They said that you disappeared from Nasuti's and didn't come back."

" Well…" Seiji didn't know what to say. If his family knew that he had fled Nasuti's then he was in deep trouble. It only made his fear of his family finding out about Anubis and himself. It wasn't that he was ashamed of his love for the Yami Masho; only afraid his family would send him away so he'd never see him again.

" Seiji, let's get go-," Anubis walked out of the clothing store, but stopped his words when he saw the young girl with Seiji.

Satsuki stared at the blue-haired man with a curious eye and smiled, " Well, who's this Nii-chan?"

" Nii-chan?" Anubis raised an eyebrow.

" Anubis this is my sister, Satsuki," Seiji introduced them to each other. " Suki, this is Anubis."

Sister, eh? Seiji had already told Anubis of his family and how they frowned upon same sex relationships, but this one seemed different. Her eyes were strangely accepting and understanding. That's when he realized she was staring intently at his face and he realized what she was wondering about.

" The scar was from an accident," he replied quickly. " I'm sorry if it offends you."

" Offend me?" Satsuki laughed. " I like it. It makes you look like an old samurai and yet, you look young and roguish. It works for you."

" Arigato," Anubis replied. " I guess you really are Seiji's sister."

" Please, I'm the normal one," she smirked. " So where did you find him?" She pointed to her brother. Seiji wanted to hit her for her bluntness.

" We've known each other for a few years," Anubis answered.

" I guess you must know the other guys," she sighed. Then she smiled a bit and leaned closer to him. " You got a girlfriend?"

" Nani?!" Anubis' face turned red and Seiji looked as if he was ready to really hit her.

" Sorry!" she giggled. " I just wanted to see your reaction. You look like a guy that has to fight 'em off with a stick. Poor Seiji, Mom said that Yayoi and Grandfather traumatized him and so he can't be around girls. He freaks out and starts to hyperventilate. It's kinda cute."

" Satsuki!" Seiji couldn't believe her. Was she so mad at him for not calling in over a month that she would embarrass him like that? The answer, oh hell yes.

" Traumatized?" Anubis was getting confused. He looked at Seiji with a question in his eyes. " What did they do to you?"

" Only dressed him up as a girl for the first six years of his life," Satsuki shrugged. " People use to think he was me."

" Nani?!" Anubis was shocked beyond belief and Seiji had just lost his last shred of patience.

" That's it Satsuki," he stepped towards her. " I know you're mad at me, but that doesn't mean make a scene in front of one of my friends! I can't believe you would just say something like that out in public, have you no sense of courtesy for others?"

" This coming from the man that ignores his family and most of his friends," she huffed. " And you'd think he was your boyfriend the way you're getting so bent out of shape."

Seiji's anger left him and he blushed a deep red. Anubis just stared at the look on his lover's face and didn't know what to say. No wonder Seiji had left home if they could do this to his cool demeanor.

" Seiji?" Satsuki gave him a confused look. " Why are you blushing like that?"

The blonde turned around quickly and grabbed his bag with one hand and Anubis' wrist with the other. " We're leaving," he growled and left the older man no room for argument. Not even saying goodbye to his sister, Seiji pulled the blue-haired swordsman through the crowd towards the mall front entrance.

" He's never blushed like that in his entire life," Satsuki said to herself. " You'd think he actually was his…" Suddenly, realization struck and she gasped in disbelief. _Now I know why he won't come home,_ she thought. _Grandfather will kill him if it's true._

Kathrine: And editing is on a roll.

JC: Please do go through a check out the new chapter if you're trying to read everything.

Kathrine: The story isn't really changed. We just checked spelling and grammar as well as we could.

JC: So just take a peak and see if we made it better by fixing our mistakes.

Kathrine: The darker version will be put on AFF.Net later on, and it will definitely have what this one doesn't.

JC: Ja for now!


	2. Chapter 2

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A/N: Hi! We are here with the next Chapter in our story. This is where the plot twists.

Catherine: I hope that it doesn't get too out of hand. JC's kinda leading the way with this.

JC: Well, I just kinda had an idea with this and I want to go with it.

Kathrine: Will there be pain?

JC: Probably not.

Kathrine: Bitch.

JC: You know I still love ya.

Catherine: Here is our fic. Please enjoy.

(If ya noticed we just left these A/N alone, we're too lazy to change all of them.)

Disclaimer: Don't own Troopers or Masho.

Warning: YAOI/Shounen Ai fic, dark themes appear. FLAMERS ARE WELCOMED TO GIVE KATHRINE YOUR NAMES SO THAT SHE KNOWS WHO TO SEND HER GODDESS AFTER.

**__**

Conflictions for the Heart

By JC and Catherine

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Chapter 2

" Come on, love," Seiji urged. " I know you don't look bad." He got no answer from his lover and sighed in frustration. Anubis had locked the door to their bedroom and refused to come out. The blonde knew that he might have been a little shocked or hesitant by the clothes he chose, but he didn't think he would act like this.

" If you don't come out of there, then I guess I could go by myself and find someone else to enjoy the night with," he said casually out loud. The door opened quickly and Anubis stepped out glaring.

" You wouldn't dare!" he growled, but Seiji was too busy staring in awe to hear him. He hadn't thought the outfit would look THAT good on the other man.

The vest looked to be two sizes too small, but only seemed to add more definition to the blue-haired man's already large and well-sculpted muscles. The zipper was all the way up and yet still showed a large amount of his muscular chest below his neck. It also only covered a minimal of his stomach and allowed his exceptionally chiseled abdomen to show through.

The pants were indeed _skin-tight_ and shaped to his hips like they would in anyone's wet dream, curving an inch beneath his navel. The bottoms seemed to fit snugly around the boots that added to his bad-boy rogue look. Seiji smiled at the two neck accessories he had bought, a black choker with metal-ringed holes around it that fit perfectly around Anubis' tanned neck, and a skinny chain with a small silver dagger pendant. On his hands, Anubis wore black skinny gloves with the fingers cut off that completely set his look to perfection.

Seiji could already feel the burn increasing in his groin and had to force himself to keep his eyes on Anubis' blues. " Yami," Seiji gasped. " Black leather is definitely your look."

" I look like a harlot," the other man huffed.

" Well I bet you bought something just as bad for me," he replied.

" I thought it would be better for at home than public," Anubis stated.

" Well seeing as you look like a sex god, I'll just have to try on this outfit you got me," Seiji walked up to him and ran a hand down his lover's back side. He smirked evilly at the evidence it showed.

" Love, where are your underwear?" he asked innocently.

" You try getting these blasted pants on with them," he replied.

" I'm more concerned with getting them off later," Seiji winked at him before disappearing into their room. Anubis only stared confusedly at his lover's completely unusual behavior.

" If this is what _'clubbing'_ does to him maybe it won't be so bad after all," Anubis sat stiffly on the couch and waited for Seiji to come out. His thought continued to go to the clothing he had bought Seiji and the other things that the cashier at the store had suggested he get with it. He had to admit that all of it looked very sexy on the blonde in his mind, but he wanted more to see it in real life.

About fifteen minutes later the door to the room opened and Seiji stepped out with a questioningly look on his face. " I never knew you went for this look," he smirked. Anubis' breath caught in his throat and his eyes widen to the point of looking as if they would fall out of his head. Seiji truly did look like a GOD.

The shirt he wore had a zipper that the blonde had only pulled up half way. The short sleeves were unbelievably tight on his muscular arms and only came to the middle of his biceps. It was quite short as well, showing off a near two inches above his navel. The pants were shinny black pleather with zippers up each side of the pants. They fit tightly to his hips and thighs and curved just under his navel. The boots he wore were thick-heeled and only made the lack of space beneath the pants' legs even tighter for they came to a little below his knee.

On his neck he wore an identical choker to the one Seiji had bought him and contrasted greatly with the blonde's pale ivory skin. His wrists were donned with silver bands and his nails painted black. His hair was pulled behind his head in a neat ponytail, save the usual locks over his right eye. Then Anubis watched as Seiji pulled out the long silver chain he'd also gotten and fastened it around his waist so that six inches dangled at his side. He truly looked like a gothic god.

" The cashier helped you with this, didn't she?" Seiji asked with a seductive smirk. " Touma said that she likes to push her interests onto those that come into the store."

Anubis stood and walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. " I really should thank her for her good tastes," he replied in a husky voice. " You look like something out of gothic heaven or those shows on television."

" Well that just means we'll have a lot of fun tonight," Seiji rubbed a hand over his lover's spine. He could feel the bulge beginning to grow in Anubis' pants as he pressed against him, but knew it had to wait.

" You better restrain that for a while," he ran a hand down to the hump and brushed his fingers across it gently. " I am not letting anything ruin tonight."

" You just love to see me wait," Anubis gave a mock frown.

" Only because you look so cute," Seiji answered as he pulled his lover to the door. Being as it was July they wouldn't need their coats on such a cool night. The blonde opened the door and let Anubis walk out first before shutting it and walking down the hall. The two received many curious and awed glances from other tenants as they entered the elevator.

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The music was loud and hypnotic as the two lovers walked into one of the most well-known clubs in the city that night. The_ Exotica_ was known for having the most business and the loudest music, but also kept the house rather clean and had many nonalcoholic beverages for the younger and less wild of its customers. Seiji thought it might not have been a good idea to come after all, but he shook of that thought when he saw the look of wonder on Anubis' face.

The blue-haired man had never seen so many people moving as one large entity before. His eyes wandered around the room as the bright rainbow of lights danced around with as much control as the people beneath it. The music wasn't exactly just one type for once one song ended another of completely different style and intensity would take its place.

" Come on love," Seiji smiled as he pulled Anubis into the throng of oblivious dancers. He turned around once they were near the center of the crowd and held his lover's hand tightly.

" How do you like it here?" he asked.

" It's loud, but strangely mesmerizing," Anubis admitted. He looked at a young couple that was dancing and groping each other as if no one else was in the room. " Why are they all acting so strange? Is the music a spell?"

" No," Seiji laughed. " They are only interested in themselves and each other. No one's gonna bother them. Touma used to tell me that people usually don't pay attention to each other around these places. I thought it would be a nice place for you to get use to being around people seeing as they don't really know you're here."

" But I don't truly know how to dance," Anubis told him. " I was a warrior in my time, not a ritual performer."

" Then you'll just have to follow me," Seiji smirked as he drew the other swordsman closer. He began to sway to the music and brush against Anubis roughly, sliding his hands over the other's tight vest.

" Come on," Seiji whispered, but loud enough he could hear. " Just go with the music. You'll never get over your anxiety if you just stand there looking sexy. You have to prove it. I want all these people to actually start paying attention when they glance our way." He moved his hand to Anubis' ass and squeezed it with force.

Anubis gasped but then moaned at the feeling of the blonde rubbing against him. He began to just let go and move with his lover to the music. It was fast and upbeat, pushing him to flow with it like a pebble in a stream. He moved his hands up and down Seiji's arms and over his back as they melded together with the music. The blue-haired warrior knew he was slowly losing the control he had over himself and giving in to the infiltrating rhythm of the songs as they slipped by.

People actually did stare at then, men and women glancing when their partners weren't looking. Truthfully, their partners were looking as well. Who wouldn't stare at two godlike creatures moving together in the most erotic of ways and not even knowing it? It was enough to make a man or woman turn their head.

Suddenly, Seiji bumped into someone and broke away from Anubis to apologize. " I'm sorry-," his words stopped dead in his mouth. His one lavender blue eye met with two deep blues.

" Seiji?"

" Touma," Seiji whispered in surprise and shock.

The archer stared wide-eyed at the man he once knew as Seiji. His clothing and point of being there showed no signs of the blonde swordsman he knew. The blonde swordsman he hadn't seen in over a month. " What the hell happened to you?" he asked.

" I…" the blonde didn't know what to say as he watched Touma's eye shift from him to the man behind him.

" Anubis?" Touma said in confusion. " What the hell…?"

" Oh shit," Seiji whispered. " Look Touma, I can explain…"

" Well I'm pretty stumped right about now," Touma's eyes were still partially wide. " What's going on? Where have you been? And what are you doing with **Yami Masho** of all people?"

" We're at a club dancing," Seiji answered his first question. " I've been with Anubis for the past month and…" He wasn't quite sure how to state the last answer.

Anubis could see the glimmer of fear in his lover's eyes as he talked to his friend. He placed a hand on his shoulder for assurance and said, " Tell him love, you knew you'd have to tell them sooner or later."

" Love?" Touma repeated as he alternated his glare between them. " You mean…?"

" Anubis and I are lovers," Seiji nodded simply. " We have been since he came back to the realm over a month ago."

" Nani?!" Touma's mouth opened slightly in stupefaction.

" It's true," Seiji moved backwards so that he was up against his lover's chest. " But I didn't want you to find out this way."

" So the you ran off, left us worrying about you for a month, just so that you could screw a Masho?" the archer growled.

" It's not like that,' Seiji shook his head, but he could feel the tension rising in his lover's form.

" Do you know how worried we were about you? Did ya even care? Or were ya too busy shagging him every minute?" the archer couldn't help, but let out all of his built up anger at the blonde. He had been Seiji's best friend and he hadn't even told him he was leaving. The swordsman had fled in the middle of the night and never looked back on his friends or thought of how they would react.

" Touma it's not like that!" Seiji repeated. " He's not the reason why I left, so don't bring him into to this!"

" Then what is your _reason_?" he asked spitefully. " After all those days of acting like we meant nothing you just up and leave with out so much as a goodbye? Some kinda friend you were!"

" That's it," Anubis growled and moved from behind Seiji. He stared Touma down, having a good three inches on the archer. His protective side was showing through, even against one of his lover's old friends.

" No Anubis," Seiji stopped him from doing anything. " It doesn't matter, he's just mad. I deserve it, let it no."

" Hell no!" Anubis couldn't help but clench his fists in anger. Touma was supposed to be Seiji's friend. Friends didn't say things like that, no matter what. He didn't understand how that boy was the bearer of a yoroi.

" Come on love," Seiji pulled on his arm. " Let's just go." Anubis gave in and allowed the blonde to pull him away from the crowd and to the bar section, leaving Tenku to stomp off in the other direction.

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Seiji sighed as he sat down at the farthest table from the dance floor. Anubis could only stare at him with a look that Seiji had come to know quite well. He knew when his lover's temper was peaked and that he needed to cool down.

" Why did you let him talk to you like that?" Yami asked.

" I deserved it," Seiji said simply.

" NO, you didn't! No one deserves to be talked down to by one of their 'supposed' friends," Anubis countered.

" I pushed myself away from them and then left," he shrugged. " Touma was my best friend and he feels betrayed because I didn't confide in him." Anubis could tell by the way Seiji was just letting it slide off of him as if it were nothing that he was really hurt. Whenever the blonde was emotionally wounded he acted like it was no big deal and closed himself up a little bit more. Anubis wanted to beat the shit out of Tenku.

" I need some fresh air," he growled.

" Fine, we can go outside," Seiji was about to stand, but Yami stopped him.

" No you stay and rest for a minute," Anubis suggested. " After all of that dancing and all the things we've done today I know you're tired."

The blonde didn't want to admit it, but he was tired and Touma's words had only made him feel even more fatigued. " All right," he nodded in submission. " Please, just don't try to hurt Touma."

" I won't," Anubis promised. He kissed Seiji on the forehead and turned to make his way through the crowd. Seiji sighed as he waited for the waiter to come to his table.

" Hello," an unfamiliar voice called. Seiji raised his head to see a black-haired man staring at him.

" Yes?" Seiji raised an eyebrow. The man looked to be close to thirty and wore a gray shirt and dark blue slacks. He didn't look like the type that came there for clubbing.

" I just didn't understand why you were sitting alone," the man replied. " Everyone's staring at you and I thought someone was with you before."

" Yes, my boyfriend is here with me, but he's gone for the moment," Seiji stated quickly. He knew where this was heading and he wanted to cut it off before anything happened. " Sorry to disappoint you."

" Oh, quite all right," the man shrugged. " I didn't think you'd be single anyway." He turned around and walked away, but Seiji didn't see the frown and glare on his face.

A minute later the waitress came to his table and he ordered a cold soda as he waited for Anubis to return. She came back rather quickly and he smiled at her. She smiled and him and yet seemed slightly nervous. Seiji guessed it was because of his clothes. He paid her for the drink and gave a tip before she left. He put the beverage to his lips and took a large drink of it.

Quickly he pulled it away and stared at it. It tasted strange and he didn't know why. _Do all drinks here taste this funny?_ Seiji wondered briefly. He set the drink down and stood up, ready to go find Anubis and go home. As stood as he stood his legs felt heavy and his vision swirled for a second. He leaned against the table and turned to sit back down, but he ended up falling in the opposite direction.

Strong but unfamiliar arms held him and he kept his eyes long enough to stare up at a black-haired figure he briefly recognized. " You?" Seiji slurred. " But how'd you…?" The blonde never finished his words for unconsciousness caught up with him.

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Touma growled to himself as he walked back and forth outside. Shu and Shin were supposed to meet him at the club, but they hadn't showed yet. His meeting with Seiji had only made him more agitated. _How could he just walk away like that?_ he frowned. _He disappears and then just happens to end up at this club, looking like a converted Goth, and yet he has the nerve to walk away from ME!_

He was still musing his anger when he felt a hand grip onto his shoulder and turn him around. His glare met with a sapphire blue one of a greater intensity. " Anubis!" he growled.

" Shut the hell up and listen!" the ex-Masho tightened his hold on the archer and waited to see if he would try a comeback. He didn't.

" Do you even know how much you hurt him just now?" Anubis' glare made him look like a vicious wolf ready to kill his prey.

" Does he care how much he hurt us?!" Touma shot back.

" You are a complete fool!" Anubis growled deep in his throat. " You who are supposed to be wisdom and his best friend and yet you know nothing!"

" 'Best friend' my ass!" Touma refused to back down. " He ran off to be with you and didn't even care to tell anyone! Before even that he was acting like we were inconveniences to him!"

" You ass, he thought he was the inconvenience!" Anubis shouted. " You act like he betrayed you and yet none of you saw the pain he was in! You were so engrossed in your own worlds that you saw his pain as an insult to you instead of the blade that was slowly killing him!"

" Nani?" Touma's glare faded and confusion was left in its wake. " What are you talking about?"

" The night Seiji left he went to a cliff and was ready to jump!" Anubis knew that he shouldn't have told him everything, but his anger was so out of control that all he wanted to do was throttle the younger warrior. But Seiji's request held still and talking out his anger was the only way he could calm himself down.

" You liar!" Touma snapped. " Seiji'd never do something like that!"

" You think you know him so well and yet you know nothing about him!" Anubis could feel his anger beginning to rise again. " You don't know of his dreams or nightmares, the things you were too self-involved to see! He was in so much pain and guilt that he thought death was his only outlet. If I hadn't gotten there he would be dead at the bottom of a cliff or his body floating onto some foreign shore."

" You can't be telling the truth," Touma shook his head. " We would have known if he was hurt. The link…"

" God Tenku!" Anubis let out a breath in frustration. " The link is useless when the person has such mental clarity and control as Seiji. He would have felt more of burden by pushing his pain on to you."

Touma thought for a moment about how distant Seiji had become after the _incident_ in New York. He talked to them, but in a detached preoccupied way. Hen he would just go to his room and meditate for the rest of the day. He had even turned down meals and training with Shu, but they all thought he thought he was too good for them. But they still hadn't wanted him to leave.

__

How could we have been so blind? He gasped as the realization hit. All of them had been so caught up in their own lives that his hadn't been as important._ He wasn't the one that abandoned us, we abandoned him._

" Touma!" a voice called from behind him. He turned to Shin and Shu walking towards them.

" Who the guy in the hot outfit?" Shu asked before getting a good look at him. " Ya found someone to replace us?"

" I'm leaving," Anubis growled. He turned to leave and Touma grabbed his arm.

" Anubis wait," Touma sighed guiltily. Shu and Shin glance at each other when the realized who the person was.

" I've no time for this Tenku," he glared. " You were too stupid and blind to see fault but his then and I won't let you hurt him again." With that he pulled his arm away from the archer and walked back towards the entrance of the club.

" What was that about?" Shin asked. " Why were you talking to Anubis?"

" Where did he get that outfit?" Shu asked. Touma's eyes stayed on Yami as he turned to walk back in.

Anubis felt the anger lifting off his chest and replaced with a sense of dread. Something was wrong and he feared it had to do with Seiji. Suddenly he chest constricted and he felt as if his heart had just been run through with his old blade. He stumbled against the side of the building and fell onto one knee. His breaths became ragged and he heard someone yelled, " Anubis!"

Someone was next to instantly and he felt a hand on his back. " What happened?" it was Tenku's voice. " Are ya okay?"

He knew what the pain was from, but was too afraid to admit it. He didn't want it to be true.

" Tell us what happened?" he heard Suiko plead.

" Seiji," he breathed heavily as he stood shakily on his feet. " Something's happened to Seiji."

****

A/N: How was that? Wondering how that turned out like that? Well Kitty got a nosebleed while helping write the part about Anubis in his outfit and left me alone. I ended up having to get Kathrine to help me.

Kathrine: It's getting better, just wait.

JC: Anyway, is there a good kind writer out there that wants to draw pictures of Seiji and Anubis in their outfits. My imagination is on overload and I can't draw worth anything so we can't do it.

Kathrine: Please, draw them for us!

JC: Well we will post more later this week and hope to get a few reviews from this. Please review!

( Once again we ignored the A/N because we're too lazy.)


	3. Chapter 3

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A/N: Hi there! I finally got what I wanted! I got a very nice chunk of this fic to myself.

JC: I can't believe I let you do this! I should have told Kitty you couldn't do this.

Catherine: I refuse to have anything to do with this fic after this! Kathrine can keep it. Poor Seiji! I can't believe you!

Kathrine: I finally got my wish and you know you can't stop me now.

JC: I really feel sick.

Catherine: I can't even stay here anymore. (Runs off to cry in her room and JC runs to the bathroom.)

Kathrine: Well, I like it anyway. Oh and I would like to thank Wildefyre and PL Nunn for this fic. They're stories gave me quite a lot of inspiration. And I would also like to thank the wonderful Amyeyl for drawing such a gorgeous picture of Anubis for me. Can't wait for Seiji!

Disclaimer: Don't own Troopers or Masho. Just my original characters. I only get to torture them. Hence the ending of this chapter.

Warning: YAOI/Shounen Ai. Pain and the beginning of much Seiji TORTURE! I have only begun o have fun. If I will do this to my favorite Trooper, what will I do to Flamers? Mwahahahaha!!!!!

**__**

Conflictions for the Heart

By JC and Kathrine

(JC does not acknowledge any helping with the ending of this chapter)

****

Chapter 3

Touma's eyes widened in fear, but he could see far worse in the eyes of the Masho. He knew that all the armors had a bond and that the five Troopers were specially linked, though it seemed Yami's link surpassed that of the yoroi. " Where is he?" Touma asked.

" He was waiting for me at a table," Anubis replied in a shaky voice. His breaths were evening out, but the pain in his chest was still there. He had to get back into the club and find Seiji.

Shu and Shin were just staring in confusion, not knowing how to take any of the clips of information. How did Seiji get into all of this? Shu was about to ask when Anubis finally stood and walked back into the club. Touma was about to follow him but the azure-haired Trooper took this chance to grab his lover's arm.

" What the hell is going on?!" he demanded to know.

" We've all been asses, that's what!" Touma's face was stricken with worry. " Seiji' been with Anubis all this time and we pushed him away, not the other way around. I'm found Seiji and Anubis inside and yelled at him. Now I'm afraid he's done something stupid."

" Backtrack here for me," Shu sighed. " How did _we_ push Seiji away? Why would he be with Anubis? They hate each other."

" 'Hate' my ass they're lovers!" Touma growled. " And we pushed him away by being selfish and not truly trying to help him when we should have!" With that he pulled away and went into the building, leaving the other boy stunned.

Shin patted Shu and the shoulder, " It'll make more sense in a bit." The two nodded to each other and went into the club. Neither of them saw the black car that drove out of the alley next to the club and head down the street.

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Anubis growled deep in his throat when he reached the table and Seiji was gone. All that was there was a spilled glass of something that was leaking onto the floor. " Kuso!" he cursed as he pounded his fist onto the table. A noticeable dent was left when he felt someone come up behind him.

" Was this where you left him?" Touma asked.

" Yes!" Anubis was getting truly frustrated. He knew Seiji wouldn't leave without him and someone had to have had something to do with this. That's when he noticed the strange smell in the air. His sensitive nose picked up a smell he couldn't identify in the area near him. His continued to sniff it out and came to the liquid dripping off the table.

" What is it?" Touma asked as he watched the swordsman looked around. Then he saw the curious look he gave when staring at the beverage that was spilled over the table.

" There's something added to this," Anubis replied.

" Nani?" Touma raked his finger in the drink and brought it to his lips. He lightly licked some of it with his tongue, then spitting it out and quickly wiped the rest off on his sleeve. " It's a sedative!" he shouted.

" A what?" Anubis had never heard the word before.

" It's a poison that puts people to sleep for a while," Touma clarified in terms he knew a man that lived with a venom-obsessed warrior for four hundred years would understand.

" Someone poisoned Seiji?!" the man couldn't keep his anger in check.

" It looks that way," Touma sighed. Now he felt really guilty for yelling at the blonde.

" Touma!" Shin's voice was heard. Touma turned to see the brunette and azure-haired companion coming towards them. " Did you find something?" he asked.

" I think someone drugged Seiji and took him out of here," Touma stated. " There was sedatives in the soda on the table and Seiji won't drink alcohol."

" What do we do? How are we going to find him?' Shu asked.

" Someone knows what happened," Anubis replied. He could smell the fear coming from in the club and that the person was close. He looked around and saw that someone was staring at him. It was a waitress with short black hair that came above her ears. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye while serving a table near them, but quickly turned away when his eyes met hers. He watched her walked to the back of the counter and hurry through the door behind it.

" I think I found our witness," he growled.

" Who?" Shin asked.

" How would you get out of the building if you went through that door?" Anubis pointed to the way the girl had left.

" Only through the back that leads to the alley," Touma answered.

" Good," Anubis gave a smile that the Troopers knew well from their battles. The swordsman forced through the crowd and they followed him out of the club.

----------------------------------------------------------------

She looked around, but saw no one and gave a small sigh of relief. _I knew I shouldn't have listened to him,_ she yelled at herself. _I knew that his boyfriend was the jealous type that'd get pissed. _She turned to corner of the alley to walk home and was met with a hand to her throat. Her brown eyes widened as they met darkened blue that had a hidden rage within them.

" Where is Seiji?" the blue-haired man growled.

" I don't know who you're talking 'bout," she tried to twist away, but he held her firmly against the brick wall.

" Anubis! Let her go!" Shu gasped when he and the others walked into the alley.

" Not until I get my answers," he stated. Then he turned his glare back to the girl and repeated, " Where is Seiji?!"

" I don't know any Seiji!" she squealed in fear. " Honest!"

" The blonde at the back table," Anubis clarified and then warned her. " I might not be a man to hurt a woman, but if you don't tell me where he is I'll…"

" He went with Caril," she blurted. " He left with Caril!"

" Who is this Caril?" Anubis asked.

" He's this guy that comes around every few days to look for a date," she said. " He took a liking to your blonde earlier tonight, but didn't talk to him until after you left."

" Seiji wouldn't have left with him," Shin said. " He's not one to just go off with some guy he'd just met."

" There was probably somethin' in that drink he told me to give him," she said. " He paid me an extra fifty bucks not to tell him it wasn't the drink he'd originally ordered. I just thought he was playing secret admirer."

" Where does this Caril live?" Anubis loosened his grip on her throat.

" I don't know," she shook her head. " I just know he usually shows up in an old black Chevy. When he does pick up a date though they don't show up around here again for a long while if at all."

" Why?" Touma asked.

" Don't know," she shook her head. " Now please, let me go." Anubis let her drop back to the ground and she took in deep breaths of air. She crawled away from him and stood to her feet.

" I shall kill you if he is hurt," Anubis warned her. " Believe that or you won't live very long." The girl's eyes widened and she ran down the street.

" How could you do that to a woman?!" Shu growled.

" I got what I needed and shall get more," Anubis replied. " I could tell she was lying and she will probably find a way to contact this Caril. If she values her life that is."

" You weren't serious about hurting her, were you?" Shin asked. Anubis looked him in the eye and the brunette warrior hoped he'd never find out if he were.

" Someone needs to follow her," Anubis said.

" I will," Touma volunteered. " I can stay behind her and listen in from a distance if she talks to anyone."

" Good luck," Shin caressed his cheek before Touma began walking in the same direction as the girl had gone.

" Korin," Anubis realized. " We need Korin."

" Why?" Shu asked.

" It will lead us to Seiji," Anubis answered. " The link was never severed and so it will come to him."

" But the yoroi is at Nasuti's," Shin explained. " We would have to go back and get it."

" Do it," Anubis' eyes were darkening even more. " We have to find him."

" Where are you going?" Shin asked.

" Home to get Yami," Anubis answered as he walked away in the opposite direction.

" I'm still confused at all of this," Shu sighed.

" Don't worry love," Shin told him. " We better get going. Who knows what could happen to Seiji. This Caril might hurt him or…"

" We better hurry," Shu said as his eyes widened in fear. The two quickly walked across the street to where they had parked Nasuti's jeep.

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Everything was blurry and he couldn't collect his thoughts. He realized he was standing, but didn't know against what. He slowly opened his eyes and could tell at least that there was very little light in the room. His head throbbed and he couldn't seem to move his arms or legs. Shuddering from the chill, he let his half-clouded eyes searched the room. He felt the need to throw up with the disgusting taste that remained in his mouth.

" I'm glad you're awake now," a cold voice seemed to laugh. " I'm a little surprised you awoke so early, but it actually is a good thing. I hate to wait."

" Nani?" Seiji whispered in a hoarse voice. His vision settled finally and he could tell now whom he was staring at. It was the guy from the bar that had made the pass at him. He was confused until he remembered the arms that had caught him well fell and the dark-haired figure he'd seen.

" You drugged me," Seiji stated.

" Why yes," the man smiled. " You were uncooperative so I had to take the proper measures to subdue you."

" But…" Seiji began.

" Bad boy," the man reached out and smacked him hard across the face. The blonde's head was knocked into the hard surface he was held against and he grunted. " You don't talk back to your master," the man growled.

" I don't have a master," Seiji replied only to receive another smack across his cheek.

" So the pet thinks he is free now, does he?" the man cracked a blood-chilling smirk. " I guess I'll have to retrain you."

Suddenly, whatever the blonde was against moved as he was pushed closer to the insane man who had abducted him. The man pulled something from behind his back that made Seiji's eyes open wide. It was a black-handled metal whip. " What are you…" he started.

" Shut up!" the dark-haired man shouted. " Now you must receive your 'punishment'." He set the whip down on a table near him and picked up a large knife.

" Please no," Seiji shook his head. " Don't do this."

" Begging might make me happy, but it won't detour your 'punishment'," the man smiled. " You have to learn your lesson."

He held the hilt of the blade tightly in his hand and reached his other hand out to touch Seiji's bare chest. The blonde hadn't even realized it was missing until he felt the roughness of the other's hand against him. " You truly are beautiful," he whispered. " But even the beautiful must be purged of their vanity."

With that he put the blade to the blonde's chest and dug into it with force. Seiji clenched his teeth so that he wouldn't scream, but couldn't help it when he felt the man drag the knife down his skin. HE, on the other hand, seemed to like the sight of the blood dripping down his captive's beautiful ivory skin. HE moved the blade to the other side of his and proceeded to do the same, listening happily to the boy's screams.

__

Anubis…Seiji tried to keep his mind off the pain. _Please love, help me. I need you so much right now._

****

A/N: I had to step in! I couldn't let her spend five pages on torturing Seiji. Please forgive me for letting it get that far.

Kathrine: You evil Bitch! How could you stop it right there?!

JC: I let a monster touch my fic! How can you call me evil after what you're doing to Seiji?!

Kathrine: He needed some more pain. Angst is not enough!

JC: I'm going to kill you if anything else happens to him!

Kathrine: You think that will upset me? I can just haunt the brain for the rest of your natural life.

JC: My life isn't natural to begin with, I'm a freakin' split personality!

Catherine: (Sighs as the bickering between the two personas continue.) Please leave a review. I know she's going over board, but please review anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

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A/N: Hi yall! This is Kathrine and yes we've finally got out another chapter of CftH! YEAH US!!

JC: I know some of you are probably mad at us for taking so long, but we've got good reasons.

Kathrine: No inspiration and we couldn't find the floppy with the story on it.

JC: Know that we'll be trying to finish this up in about three or four more chapters at the most.

Kathrine: I guess we just like to keep ya posted if we're getting near the end. Well we're at the middle.

JC: Now Kathrine did get her way on this one and I apologize. She's really brutal to Seiji.

Kathrine: Gods, but did he look good while I did it.

JC:

Kathrine: Hope it was worth the wait for ya.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything affiliated with original Trooper storyline or characters. We only own the bitchy waitress and sadist.

Warning: Dark themes, YAOI content, abuse, swearing. IF YA AIN"T REALIZED THAT BY NOW THAN YA SHOULDN"T BE READING THIS STORY!!

**__**

Conflictions for the Heart

By JC and Kathrine

****

Chapter 4

" This is rather dull," Nasuti sighed as she and Ryo sat watching reruns of old 80s movies.

" What should we do?" Ryo asked her in a bored voiced much like her own. " With Touma, Shin, and Shin out we don't have anyone to do anything with and the house is too quiet."

" But something has to happen tonight," Nasuti slid partially off the couch. " Summers are always so boring when the university is out. I never have anything to do."

Ryo just looked at her with a silly smile on his face. " Nani?" she asked.

" You just look like a bored teenager sitting there like that," he told her. " I guess I've never seen you so loose."

" There's a lot you haven't seen concerning me," Nasuti replied. " But right now I'm too bored to explain anything."

Ryo raised his brow at these statements, wondering if they had any hidden meaning. He knew he was in love with her. He had been since the first day they'd met. He only wished it were clearer whether or not she felt the same way about him. So many times he had tried to tell her how he felt and he'd end up backing down out of fear of rejection.

" I am soooo bored," she let out a huff of air. " Gods, I'd do anything if something interesting were to happen tonight."

At that very moment the door burst open and Shin and Shu walked in. Both of them wore worried looks on their features and Shin blurted, " We need Korin, where is it?!"

" Why? What happened" Ryo asked.

" It's really complicated," Shu said.

" Give us the summary," Nasuti told him. " We need to know what's going on."

" Oh bloody hell, we're wasting time," Shin growled. " Touma found Seiji at the club tonight, but Seiji was with Anubis, yes Yami. Touma yelled at Seiji and Anubis yelled at Touma. Seiji disappeared and Touma said that someone drugged him and kidnapped him. Can we get the yoroi now?!" After saying everything in one breath the brunette was a little winded and took in a deep breath. Everyone just stared at him in shock and confusion until Ryo and Nasuti realized what he said.

" You found Seiji with Yami?" Ryo couldn't believe it.

" From what Touma said, they're lovers," Shu added. " Now don't start on that, please just get the orb!" The warrior of strength could see the shock on the two young adults' faces.

" All right," Nasuti nodded before hurrying up the stairs to Touma's room where the orb was. It had been left on Seiji's old dresser with all of his clothes in hopes that he would come back one day, but never did. She quickly returned with the cold and blackening orb in her hands.

" What's wrong with it?" she asked. " It feels like it's dying."

" I wouldn't be too surprised about that," Shu took it from her hand and quickly walked back out the door.

" I never thought he'd be this gung-ho to find Seiji," Ryo watched him.

" He's also worried about Touma," Shin sighed. " He agreed to follow after this girl who admitted to giving Seiji a drink from this guy that usually came there to pick up dates. But she said the people he picked up usually didn't show back up for a really long time, if they came back at all." With that he walked out the door.

" Wait for us!" Ryo called as he and Nasuti followed after them He glared at her for one second. " 'Do anything for something interesting were to happen', eh? Remind me to never let you make promises on my head."

" Look that was just coincidence!" she said persistently as she climbed into the back seat of the jeep with Ryo.

" Don't fight you two!" Shin snapped. " I need to keep the link open." They all understood that meant Shin's empathic link with Seiji. Seeing as they were the only two of the group with such abilities, they found they could reach each other by going farther than the armor link. Shin just hoped that it was finally open. Seiji had closed the link when they had returned from the incident in New York and he wasn't able to get anything from the blonde.

__

Please let me in Seiji, he begged in his mind. _Just let me see if you're okay._ He closed his eyes and concentrated, even using Suiko's power to give his empathy an extra boost. As he felt himself connecting with the blonde his could feel the remnants of a wall that had been forced down. Once he passed the crumbling wall he was propelled out of Seiji's mind by several emotions and thoughts hitting him at once.

" Shin!" Shu gasped when he saw the water warrior begin to breathe heavily and his hands pressed against his temples to ward off the addition of a migraine. " What happened?"

" Gods, we have to find him now!" Shin couldn't stop the tears from falling down his cheeks. " He's in so much pain, whoever that Caril person the waitress was talking about must be hurting him. There were so many other emotions around, but pain and shame were the two that stood out the most." Nasuti reached up and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

" Put up your shield," she suggested. " We don't need you passing out if it is that bad."

" I'm more worried about Anubis," Shin shook his head. " He's got to be feeling this more than I do."

" Explain," Ryo requested.

" They must be connected deep somehow," Shu clarified. " Yami practically had a heart attack outside the club tonight when Shin and I got there. That was how he knew something had happened to Seiji to begin with."

" Yami does seem to have a deep bond with him," Shin lowered his eyes. He knew he couldn't tell them everything that he had seen in the blonde's mind. The thoughts that appeared from the back of his subconscious, thoughts of regret and second attempts at things that should have never been tried in the first place. _Oh Seiji, how we have failed you...And yet it seems Anubis has done the one thing you wanted most in the world, but you're still too afraid to accept it completely._

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Yami walked quickly towards the apartment complex and entered through the side door. A tenant stared at him as they exited and almost didn't believe it was he. Most tenants knew about the two young men living on the fourth floor together. They had to be stupid or deaf not to with the noises that came from there apartment most of the time.

Stepping into the elevator he ignored all others around him. The two-minute ride felt more like two hours to Anubis as a rising fear fixed itself with the pain n his chest. He pushed his way through the others in the compartment and almost ran to his room and pulled out his key. Hurrying with the lock, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

I'm coming Seiji, he thought as he walked towards the hallway to their room. Suddenly, he was over come with a searing pain in his stomach as if someone had just cut into him with a cold sharp blade. He clutched his abdomen and fell forward, unable to keep himself from letting out a gasp of agony. Just as he was about to hit the floor, he felt himself being caught by familiar arms.

He continued to breath erratically as he was lifted off of his feet and taken back into the living room. Someone set him down on the couch and he was finally able to see the person, but he already knew who it was. " Naaza," he whispered.

" What in hells happened to you?" the green-haired man asked.

" What are you doing here?' Anubis asked a question of his own.

" Kayura forced us out," another voice entered the somewhat conversation. " Said we needed a vacation."

" Well, I'd say it was good to see you, but it's not a very good time," Anubis slowly lifted himself into a sitting position.

" Nani?" Rajura raised an eyebrow. " What's going on?"

" I don't have time to go through this again tonight," Yami sighed. " Let's just say that someone has been staying here with me and now he's missing so I have to find him."

" From the way it sounds he's means something to you," Naaza pointed out.

" He does," Yami grimaced as the pain began to fade from his stomach and he stood. It was the first time that Naaza and Rajura could actually get a good look at the clothes he was wearing.

" Gods Anubis," Rajura stared. " What kind of man who get you to wear something so dissolute and yet provoking?"

" Korin no Seiji," he answered as he walked into his bedroom.

" Nani?!" both other ex-Masho replied in shock. They quickly followed him to his room and watched as he undressed very slowly, having to take time to remove the overly tight clothing.

" You are not serious," Naaza still couldn't believe it.

" Say what you want," Anubis turned to them dress in only his choker and tight pants. His chest muscles were tight and tense and both of the other couldn't deny how sexy he looked standing them like that. He pushed them back ward out of his room and stood there for a moment. " The man I love is out there hurt and in trouble and I'm going to find him." He shut the door and finished getting undressed.

" Did he just say 'the man I love'?" Naaza asked.

" Hai, he did," Rajura nodded. " I'm guessing that a lot has happened since he returned to the Nigenkai."

" Oh how observant," his lover snickered. Rajura glared at him before punching him hard in the arm.

" Get ready, we're going with him," the white-haired man stated as he walked into their room.

When Anubis walked out of his room fully dressed in his regular attire with Yami no Yoroi orb in hand he was surprised to see Doku and Gen waiting for him. " Well just don't stand there gawking," Naaza smiled. " If something is truly wrong with Korin and you feel for him as you say you do then we could only do right be helping you find him."

" You just don't want to sleep alone during our entire stay," Rajura mumbled under his breath. Anubis shrugged at the two of them, not caring if they came or not. His mind was on finding Seiji. He walked past them and out the door, the two followed behind him immediately.

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He hid in the shadows almost, making sure as to not be seen. Touma knew that if he was caught that Seiji might be put in more danger. His guilt over his anger and near hatred for his friend was higher that what the opposing emotions had been just mere hours before. _How could I have been so quick to assume he just rejected us?_ He asked himself as he kept his eyes on the moving figure he was trailing. _I completely misread him and I am supposed to be his best friend!_

The archer had turned his head from the woman and almost didn't see her walk into a telephone booth. Lucky for him most people weren't on the street that night or else someone would have called the police on him. He crept from the street and immediately hid in the alley by the booth. Something wasn't right and he could tell by the woman jittery actions as she dialed a number on the phone.

__

" KUSO!" was heard clearly coming from her mouth as she hit the phone. _" ---- UP!"_ Touma stared at her and could see her shaken up state. She looked as if a serial killer was after her. Then a look of hope came onto her face and she started talking rapidly into the phone. Unfortunately, he couldn't hear anything but tidbits from his hiding spot by the alley dumpster.

__

" ---- let --- -- now!" she yelled. " _He's ---- angry boyfriend ---- out ---- for him! ---- gonna kill --- and me! ---- ain't --- --- die --- you onii-san!"_ Someone on the other line must have said something because her expression was one of terror and fear.

__

" You ------- give ---- back ---- one piece! Gods, ---- ----- you were going --- die --- day. ----- shouldn't ------ been picking up ------ for that ------- anyway!" Touma could hear the desperation in her voice and see her deep breaths as she listened to what the other person had to say.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The conversation was all one-sided. He wouldn't listen to reason and was ready to hand up on her. " Please Caril!" she begged one last time. " I don't want to see you get killed for this. Just drop him off somewhere and let someone find him. Please onii-san, don't hang up on me!" She heard the click on the other end and knew he had cut her off.

She stood inside the booth for a moment and tried to stop her racing heart. She kept feeling as if someone was following her and didn't know what else to do. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she opened the door and stepped out of the booth. What she didn't expect was to bump into someone right outside the door.

" Gomen," she said quickly, but her eyes widened at a somewhat familiar face. She was facing a tall blue-haired boy that she remembered seeing. He came to the club often but her more recent sighting was of him with the other blue-haired man with the scar. The one that had threatened to kill her if anything happened to his boyfriend.

" AAH-!" her scream was cut off by his hand on her mouth. He looked around to see if anyone was watching and then pulled her into the dark alley near them. Her heart was beating faster than before and she was afraid he had come to kill her. She started to struggle, adrenaline fueled by her fear pushing her to the limits. Unluckily for her, the somewhat skinny boy was stronger than he looked.

" I'm gonna move my hand," he told her once she'd calmed down. " You have to promise not to scream. I'm not here to hurt you, just want some answers." She didn't make any signal that she understood so he repeated his request. Finally, she nodded and he slowly moved his hand.

" Please don't kill me," she begged in a teary voice.

" I don't want to kill you," he laughed almost. " Now Anubis is another story, but that's only if you don't tell me where the blonde is."

" I don't know," she admitted.

" But I just heard you on the phone with the guy you said he was with at the party," the boy countered. " Ya sounded like ya were talking about someone."

" Ya were listening to me?" her eyes widened slightly.

" Only partially, so I need ya to fill in the blanks," the boy replied. " I know that Caril is your brother and that you're afraid of Anubis killing you so just tell me where Seiji is."

" But I don' know where he is," she repeated. " He moves every few days to a new motel and only gives me the phone number of where to reach him. I don't know where he's staying now."

" Why are ya helping him?" the teen asked. " Why would you help someone kidnap another person?"

" Ya don't know Caril," she stated. " Ya think he wouldn't kill me all because I'm family? Ya wrong. Ya shouldn't even be getting' into anything like his with him."

" Why?" he asked. " What does he do that so horrible that even his own sister is afraid of him?"

" Mind your own business," she growled as she tried to pull away. " I'm not in the mood to die today or any day soon so quit asking me questions!"

" My friend is my business!" he hissed. " Now tell me what this guy is gonna do to him."

" You know I might be afraid of ya friend, but I'm smart enough to be afraid of Caril more," she laughed a little under her breath. " I told ya enough at the club so quit trying to get anymore out of me. Ya don't know someone for their entire lives and think they won't know if ya squeal on 'em."

" Just tell me if my friend is okay!" he demanded.

" Ya sound like ya got a thing for Blondie ya'self," she snickered. The boy stiffened in surprise at her comment and she knew it was her only chance. She immediately elbowed him in the stomach and could feel him loosen his grip and lean forward as he took in a deep breath of air. She pulled away and turned to look at him. His eyes were slightly wide and his hand was wrapped around his middle.

" Ya want the truth," she said. " Find him before tomorrow or else ya won't have a Blondie anymore." With that she ran out of the alley.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Touma watched the girl run and tried to regain his breath. She could really hit hard if she wanted to. Her words had caught him off guard and he thought for a moment as he steadied himself against the building next to him. _Me in love with Seiji? _He wondered. _That's not true._ But even his in his mind he could feel doubt. Shaking away the arising questions he realized what the girl had said about Seiji. _Oh Gods, we have to hurry!_ With that he walked a little gingerly out of the alley and headed back the way he had come.

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Searing pain, burning his back and forcing tears into his wide eyes. He refused to let them fall, refused to let him see him cry or hear him beg. The earlier screams forced out of his body were shame enough without adding more to it. _CRACK!_ The pain of the metal against his back was almost unbearable. All ready twice he had lost himself in his mind in an attempt to ignore the beating he had been enduring for over twenty minutes.

The gashes on his stomach were bandaged, but only for now. His abductor promised more later, saying he didn't want him to die yet. That was when he picked up the metal whip once again. The feel of the thin flexible steel against his back hurt, but he had taken such punishment before. Whipping was not an uncommon punishment in his family for disobedience. But never had he faced it for twenty minutes or more straight.

" You're strong," the man whispered. " A lot stronger than my other toys. They broke too easily." Seiji opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was dry and his voice too hoarse to be understood. _I'm not the first,_ he thought. _But I might not be the last either._ The realization that others had gone through what he was enduring and maybe worse was not comforting.

__

Anubis…he thought. _Love, I can't take much more of this without closing myself off completely. You won't be able to reach me then. Anubis, where are you? Gods, I can't even tell how long I've been here. I don't know how long I was out before all of this._ He was thinking of every thought that came to mind to ignore the pain and suddenly his thoughts turned to more depressing matters.

__

What if he doesn't want to find me? he asked himself. _What if he was never with me to begin with?_ Seiji had always feared that his time with Anubis was nothing more than a glorious dream. Maybe this is what happens when you spend too much time inside of a dream… They become nightmares. _No, _he told himself. _It's just the situation causing these ideas._

The pain was starting to fade and he realized that the man hadn't been hitting him for about five minutes now. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. He found his tormentor standing against the wall near the door with his ear to a phone. _I didn't even hear it ring,_ Seiji realized. But then he decided to listen in case he could learn something that could get him out of his predicament.

" I'm keeping my new toy Caren," the man stated in a voice full of lust. " I find him more enjoyable than all the others. He doesn't scream and his skin in so pale, it scars nicely."

__

He's talking about me to someone, the blonde realized. _But why and to who?_

" No I won't!" he seemed angry. " You just better keep your mouth shut little one. Talkers never did make good toys, they always scream too loudly." With a cold look in his eyes he placed the phone down on the hook and turned to face the blonde.

" Hello pet," he smiled a toothy grin. " Seems someone's trying to take you away from me." He stood in front of the chained boy and ran a hand across his sweat-streaked cheek. Looking at the wetness on his hand, he brought it to his lips and licked it off. Seiji was forced to down the retch in his throat.

" My toys never tasted this good before," he whispered. Then he walked over to a small electric skillet he had heating on the nightstand near the mattress on the floor. That was when Seiji noticed something inside of the skillet. The man put on a oven mitten and pulled it out, revealing a strange metal carving. Steam floated away from the handle as he brought it closer for the blonde to see.

" Do you like my pet?" he asked as he raised the metal slightly. Seiji could tell that it was an emblem of some sort. It was a star with katakana symbol _'ne'_ in the center.

" What is it for?" he managed to gain enough strength to ask. Although he asked more out of a foreboding sense than curiosity.

" It's a way to tell you apart from the rest of the world," he answered. " I know there is no one as elegant as you, but it suits its purpose just the same." Seiji was about the ask what he meant when the man grabbed a hold of one of his aching arms. He winced at the pressure, but said nothing. He closed his eyes for a moment, only to immediately open the at the feel and smell of burning skin.

The man held him tightly as he tried to move and only drove the brand deeper into his chest over his heart. He clenched his teeth together against the pain and ended up biting off a small piece from his bottom lip. When the man did move the metal away from his chest his could smell the blistered and scarred tissue. On his chest was the exact replica of the emblem. The skin had turned to a tanned color, an intentional flaw on milky cream skin.

" So beautiful," he murmured as he traced his hand across the still heated mark. He looked up into the drawn and pained face of the blonde and smiled. He was unconscious, act of branding to much strain on his mind. " Wait 'til you awake my pet," he told him. " We still have many games to play."

---------------------------------------------------------------

He winced at the continuous pain in his spine as he waited for the return of the others. It felt as if someone was scratching him across the back with long sharp nails. _Is this your pain Seiji?_ Anubis wondered. _God koi, what I happening to you?_ _Why won't you let me in to know?_

" Are you sure the other Troopers are coming?" Naaza questioned. " We've been waiting a while."

To prove him wrong they heard a yell from down the street, " Anubis!"

" Tenku," the ex-Masho turned towards the sound of the boy's voice. He could see the bright blue-haired teen walking towards him with a look of confusion. Anubis knew exactly what he was going to ask.

" When did they pop up? Were they with you two before all this?" Touma asked as he motioned to Naaza and Rajura.

" They came in for vacation," Yami answered.

" Great timing," he stated sardonically. " The others on their way?"

" I would assume so, they are your friends," Anubis pointed out. " What did you find out from your surveillance?"

" She called the guy, Caril," he answered. " I was closed enough to hear parts of what she said, but not all. It seemed like she was trying to get him to let someone go and I would take it the someone was Seiji."

" Why would she tell him to let Korin go?" Naaza asked.

" 'Cause Yami here threatened to kill her if something happened to Seiji," Touma stated matter-of-factly.

" Something has happened to Seiji," Anubis said, ignoring the looks from Rajura.

" You threatened a defenseless woman?!" the white-haired man was furious.

" And you have never threatened a woman?" the blue-haired man raised a brow. " I do recall such events a few years ago."

" There was a war going on," Rajura added. " You have no excuse now."

" This is a battle just like all those then," Anubis' voice was cold. " It involves fighting to protect one dear to me and I refuse to let some lying wench keep me from getting him back."

" Point taken," Naaza nodded. " You know if you acted a least half as battle ready then as you are now, the war would not as went as it did."

" This is not the time for that Doku," Yami growled, but his breath was cut short by the digging pain in his chest. It felt as if someone was burning a hold into him. It came so quickly that he wasn't ready for it and leaned forward.

" Oh shit," Touma helped him to sit down on the street bench nearby. Anubis clutched his chest but moved his hand went he felt a strange imprint beneath his shirt. He unbuttoned the first three of his shirt and moved it so he could see what the impression was. To his confusion he found a star emblem with the katakana '_ne_' in the center on his chest over his heart. It blistered like it was burning still before fading away back into his skin as if it was never there.

" What in the hells…?" Rajura didn't know what to think of it.

" They hurt him," Anubis could feel the strain on his senses and the fog in his mind. " Someone hurt him."

" How do you know this?" Naaza asked.

" I told you of the bond I share with him before we arrived here at the club," the blue-haired man stated. " I know and feel all that happens to him."

" Then why can't you reach him?" Touma finally asked the question that had been plaguing him.

" He won't let me," Anubis had a sense of hurt in his voice. " He has blocked his mind and soul to me, but cannot block the pain. I need Korin to find him."

" Well the others better get here quick," Touma sighed. " Either that or your gonna end up just as bad as he might be."

" They'll pay," the swordsman's voice grew deeper and more sinister. " They know not who they've harmed or who they have angered."

****

A/N: What do ya think? Was this long enough for ya? I hope it makes up for the time it took to get it out.

Kathrine: We'll have ta work on that.

JC: Now I've decided to stop apologizing for the abuse of Seiji during this fic. T seems we always hurt him in some way anyhow and if ya don't like it ya shouldn't read it.

Kathrine: See ya dark side is coming out.

JC: Gods, I need ta start hanging around Kitty more often.

Kathrine: Then you'd be all fluff and no fun.

JC: How do ya call this fun?

Kathrine: Hurting cute bishounen so that you can screw with their lives in every way. I think it is very fun, no to mention they can't do anything to you for it.

JC: We'll see about that.

Kathrine: What does that mean?

JC: You'll see…you'll see, but later. (Walks off with a smile on her lips, leaving Kathrine to ponder her fate.)


	5. Chapter 5

****

A/N: We actually got this updated!

JC: Correction! YOU updated! I had nothing to do with this chapter! How dare you do this while I'm doing schoolwork! It's evil!

Catherine: OH GOD! How could you do that to Seiji?!

Kathrine: My Goddess was restless so I decided to appease her with a chapter full of Seiji torture.

JC: But you even had to hurt Anubis!

Kathrine: Wouldn't help if ONLY Seiji was suffering.

Catherine: Oh God, this is unconstitutional! It's against everything I stand for! (Runs off crying about the horror.)

JC: You know a little Seiji torture isn't bad, a medium amount isn't even overboard, but this?!

Kathrine: A beautiful work of art, isn't it?

JC: No one can help you. You're a lost cause.

Kathrine: Thank you. Now on to the fic!

Disclaimer: Haven't gotten the message yet? We don't own them. WE ONLY GET TO RUIN THEIR LIVES AND GIVE THEM MEAN LITTLE VOICES!!

Warning: NCS stuff, angst, pain, torture, drugs. All the usual stuff that comes with fics I write. IF YA DON'T LIKE OR ARE TO SENSITIVE THEN LEAVE!!!!!

__

Conflictions for the Heart

By Kathrine

( 1 chapter all to myself! Mwuaahahahahahahahaaaa!!)

** **

Chapter 5

The car ride was strangely silent, each person filled with worries and questions. Ryo stole a glance and Nasuti and quickly covered it back up. He could see the concern in her eyes and didn't know how to comfort her. Instead he turned his eyes back towards the street they were driving down and asked a question to break the silence, " Where are we supposed to meet them?"

" In front of the club I guess," Shu shrugged. " Touma will probably go back there after trailing that girl." He looked over at his other lover in the seat next to him, but Shin was just staring out of the window with a far off look in his eyes, his thoughts all on Seiji.

__

All that pain, the guilt, the depression…Did we cause all of that? the brunette wondered dismally. While being inside of the blonde's mind, even for that very brief amount of time, he could see all the pain still hidden deep from the months he'd been with them after the **_incident_** in New York. _If we had paid more attention, if he hadn't cut off the links, would we have done anything to stop him from leaving? _It plagued him to know that they could have prevented all the distress that lay dormant in the mind of his former comrade-in-arms.

" Look!" Shu stared through the windshield. " I can see Touma on the curb in front of the club, but there's some other guys with him, besides Anubis."

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" Gods, your friends take quite a long time," Naaza was getting impatient. He could see how Anubis was closing himself off, becoming more like the near feral man he'd met when Yami had first come to the Youjakai. The war soldier had been trapped in the wilderness of the mountains for nearly a year before his yoroi had called upon him, and before Arago had come as well. _We don't need him going off on a rampage like he did back then,_ the green-haired man thought.

" I think that's them now," Touma pointed at the red Samurai closing in on their position. " Hey guys, over here!" He began to wave his hands at the vehicle before stepping closer to the curb. The car drove up next to him and stopped.

" We got it!" Shu called as they exited the car. He looked towards where a morosely silent Anubis sat on the street bench and saw both Doku and Gen. _I'm not gonna ask,_ he decided. _Too many weird things have happened today for me to worry about it._ He pulled the orb of Korin from his pocket and held it out for them to see.

" Good," Touma replied before looking around at the amount of people that were beginning to file out of the dance club behind them. " Maybe we should find a less crowded place to do this, no?"

" You have a point," Rajura agreed with him. " I believe there is a park about a block away from here that might be more suitable for what we about to attempt."

" Works for us," Ryo stated, holding in all the questions he had about the situation until later.

Naaza nodded before kneeling next to Anubis and touching his shoulder. The wild glare he received was one he remembered well. He knew then that they had to watch the Yami Masho very closely, less he do something that would harm another and not realize it. " We have Korin's orb," he spoke in a clear voice. " We need to move to somewhere where no one will see us."

Yami said nothing as he stood up and began to follow after Touma and Ryo down the street. The green-haired swordsman gave a worried glance to his lover as he stood to join them. " He's regressing to how he was before Shuten came to us," he watched the other man.

" I can see that," Rajura's tone held the same concern. " Let us find Korin well and in one piece or who knows what he shall do." Shin, Shu, and Nasuti could walk behind them with a fearful look between them.

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He awoke instantly at the feel of cold metal pricking his skin. His eyes opened and he could see the familiar sadistic smile of captor. He turned his eyes away, but he then noticed that he was no longer chained to the ceiling. Instead his arms were bound to a low metal table. He also noticed that the countertop of it seemed like the glass from a mirror. _Gods, what is he planning to do to me now?_

" Hello pet, I see you're awake again," the man smiled as he ran fingers down the blonde's chest. " I was afraid that you wouldn't get up, then we'd have to stop playing." He lifted a hand and forced Seiji to look at him and at the same time, allowing him to also see the mirror that was attached to the ceiling. It showed him bound, spread eagle on the table and his captor waving a syringe in front of his face.

He seemed to notice how Seiji finally stared at the little tool in his hand and smiled a bit. " You're probably wondering what this is, aren't you?" he questioned with the quirk of an eyebrow. " Oh, I just gave you a little something to make things more interesting. I do like my toys to work well so just call it a type of liquid battery to power you up."

" B-bas-stard,' Seiji mumbled as he felt the drugs take effect. His veins began to boil and his skin felt as if he'd been placed in a fire to burn. It was only then that he realized that he had lost feeling in his back, no longer able to feel the pain from the lashing he had received. But suddenly he felt everything, heard everything, and his eyes watered uncontrollably. The thing that scared him the most was that at the same time everything was making him painfully aroused.

" Oh, it _is_ working beautifully on you my pet," the man purred as he leaned closer so that his face was barely a breath away from the blonde's own. " So beautiful…" His words seemed to trail off and he brushed his lips across Seiji's before crushing them together in a bruising kiss.

__

No, no, no, no, no… Korin chanted in his mind as he closed his eyes against the drug-induced sensation he was feeling. The water collected in them fell down his face like the tears that would have surely been in their place if not for the two glazed orbs already being filled. The man released his lips finally and began to lick the streams that ran down near his temples. Seiji was forced to hold down a moan that reached his throat just from the act.

His heart was pounding in his chest and that's when his abductor began to descend down his body with light feather kisses on his shoulders before he sucked on the vein on his neck. " St-Unnn…" he couldn't halt the sound from escaping, but he didn't want it.

" That sounded delicious, almost as delicious as you taste," the man smirked at him before licking his collarbone. " I can't wait to hear the next one."

__

NO! his mind protested as he felt the wetness of the vile tongue attached itself to one of his nipples. He took in a deep breath of air in shock and he couldn't stop his back from arching in pleasure. _I don't want this,_ he reminded himself. _I'm not supposed to feel like this. I'm not supposed to enjoy this, it's the drug._ He felt hands slither down the sides of his abdomen, past the bandages to the zippers on the top of his pants.

" N-no," he forced out as he shook his head repeatedly.

" Oh you're still fighting my little booster?" the man seemed amused. " Oh, my pet, that just makes things more interesting." The hands pulled on the zippers, forcing them down to reveal long and slender, yet muscular creamy legs. " So beautiful…" Seiji could hear the man repeat.

__

I have to stop this, I don't want this, he continued to fight against the drug, only causing it to sink its claws deeper into him. _Oh, Anubis, I'm so sorry…_ The next thing he could feel was a hard callused hand wrapping itself around his stiff erection. He groaned as the hand began to rub him in a slow seductive manner. He felt his pulse begin to speed up and his breaths were coming out ragged and labored.

" You respond so nicely pet," the man smiled viciously as he kissed the head of the blonde's member. " Yes, very nicely." He moved back up to stare into Seiji's eyes that were now filled with apprehension and fear. The sight of ecstasy and fear on the boy's ethereal features only succeeded in increased the burn between his legs.

He leaned down to kiss his lips once again, but stopped suddenly. " I think I know a better way my pet can use that mouth to please his master," he slowly licked his lips hungrily.

__

Oh no, please, Seiji didn't even have enough control to turn his eyes away any longer. He couldn't stop what was happening and it only made him feel even weaker. In one last chance to preserve his sanity he pulled up all of his walls once again and tried to hide himself in his temporary sanctuary.

---------------------------------------------------------------

He felt the block and part of his soul closed off to him. _Oh Gods, _he clutched his chest and tried to connect with it again, regain the last shred of Seiji he could sense, but to no avail. He had been sensing a strange war of emotions; pleasure, guilt, disgust, denial; all were trapped inside of who he knew was his blonde lover. But then it just stopped, everything was cut and he was left half empty.

" Anubis, what happened?" he could hear Rajura's voice.

" He's gone, I can't feel him anymore," to the others he sounded almost broken. " He's locked himself away, too far off for me to reach." His expression of pain changed to one of anger and his eyes glowed with the dark light of revenge. " Give me the orb."

Shu extended his hand and gave it willingly to the other man. Not even Kongo felt it was right, or even **_safe_**, to get in Yami's way when he had such a dark gleam in his eyes. The blue-haired man stepped away from the others towards a small tree in the area they'd reached in the park. He closed his eyes and held both orbs in separate hands, trying to use the power of one to link to the other.

Slowly, he felt the strange connection between the two armors grow and his hopes were rising with it. _I'm coming Seiji, _he said in his mind. _Just hold on a little longer._ Just as they were about to merge as one mind the process stopped. Anubis could feel the Korin armor withdraw without forewarning and the Yami reacted as if it had been burned over a stove. He felt his heartbeat cease and his breath was caught in his throat.

__

It's rejecting Yami, he gasped for breath and dropped both before collapsing to the ground. _It doesn't have enough energy to keep the connection._ He felt hands on him and the sound of voices but couldn't hear what anyone was saying. His mind was on his failure and what it could mean. _Seiji is too weak to supply Korin little amount of energy needed to find him. Gods, koi what could that mean for you? Are you still in one piece, what has that monster done to you? How has he hurt you?_ The last thought came as his mind swirled into dark nothingness.

--------------------------------------------------------------

" Yami talk to us, what went wrong?" Rajura was really becoming worried with his comrade's actions. His eyes were no longer their usual midnight blue, but a black that covered everything from pupil to whites.

" What's wrong with him?" Nasuti questioned.

" The connection was severed by the lack of energy Korin possessed and it couldn't take any from its bearer so it's left him trapped somewhere," Naaza guessed. " This hasn't happened before. Even with past bearers, Korin and Yami were kept apart, never were they even close to lovers."

Touma lifted Korin from where Yami had dropped it on the ground and released it again when a strange shock was sent through his arm. " It attacked me!" he gasped. The orb now lay in the grass flickering with a dim green glow, trying to keep its power, electric flashes seeming to shoot from it only to enter it again on a different side of the crystal.

" All is not well with Korin," Naaza didn't like the implications of the orb's reaction. " When the bearer dies, or is placed in a state where he can no longer use the armor, the yoroi must return to where it draws its power."

" So it's doing that cause it's trying not to leave?" Shin inquired.

" Or Seiji's power is wavering and the orb is unsure of its decision to leave or not," Nasuti suggested. " Either way it's not good."

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Touma felt a strange pain in his chest at those words. _Seiji can't die, we have to find him, _though he wasn't so sure that they would find him in time. It was already past four in the morning and the girl had told him that they had to find him before tomorrow. He knew that meant before morning and he wasn't sure that they would.

He turned his eyes towards where Rajura was trying to get through to Anubis, but he didn't seem to be making any progress. _How much will Yami suffer if we don't find him? Their link is too strong to stand being severed like that. _The thought of the bond and relationship between Anubis and Seiji caused a lump in the archer's throat. Was he feeling…jealous?

__

Of course not! He ignored the notion. _I chose Shu and Shin, I had plenty of chances with Seiji…I let them go. I made my choice._ Inside he couldn't decide if it had been the right one or one of convenience. That was just something he wasn't willing to think about, let alone accept as a possibility.

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" He's still lost," Rajura sighed. " Not even I can bring him out of this."

" But we do know someone who could," Naaza pointed out. " That's if he's still willing to go to that plane."

" What if he's crossed over all the way? We can't reach him then," Rajura stared up at his lover.

" We have to try something, he got to him when he was practically a human wolf, what have we got to lose?" They didn't even noticed the confused stares from the other five people with them.

" Who are you talking about?" Shin asked.

" Shuten," Naaza answered matter-of-factly.

" Shuten? But he's dead," Ryo stated.

" Of course he's dead," Naaza replied as if it was perfectly logical. " We're going to connect with him on a different plane. He is the only one who could reach Anubis when he'd lost his touch with reality before. We are going to ask him to do it again. We need Yami if we are to find Korin."

" Will it work?" Touma asked.

" That's what we're going to find out," Rajura sighed as he moved a wild bang from Anubis face. _This better work,_ he thought. _If something happens to both Yami and Korin both circles will be broken and the other yoroi will be pulled into the void they create._

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He felt so dirty. He couldn't believe he'd just done anything that he'd done. _It was the drugs, they forced me to do it,_ he tried to convince himself. But it was then that he heard a voice that he remembered, but seemed from so long ago in the past.

**__**

You liked it, you enjoyed it, you asked for it.

No, I didn't want to…

****

Were you listening to yourself? You sounded like a female wolf in heat!

I tried to fight it. I tried to tell him to stop. I didn't want this.

****

Of course you wanted it, walking around dressed like a slut. You practically screamed, 'Free ass right here!'

I thought it would be good for Anubis and me. I wanted to…

****

You wanted to look like a two-bit whore and dragged him into it. No wonder he never came looking for you, you degraded him to the level of a whore!

No, I wouldn't do that. I…

****

What? You LOVE him? What a load of bullshit! You never loved him, just a convenient fuck!

NO! he didn't want to believe the voice, it couldn't be true. Yet he wavered in his defense. _Anubis was my first and only._

****

Not anymore! The voice seemed to snicker at him. **_You really screwed that up. He's not gonna want you now, not after what you just had that nut do to you._**

I tried to fight, I tried…

****

If you had really tried, really WANTED to go, you would have been out of here already.

He couldn't fight the voice anymore. He was too weak to go up against it again. Admitting that to himself only made him feel even dirtier.

**__**

See? You're pathetic, just let anyone that walks in fuck you. What did Anubis see in you?

Anubis? What am I going to tell him? How can I face him again? How can he ever want me again? I'm nothing but damaged goods now.

****

That's right! You're just damaged goods, not worth anything or anyone, let alone Yami Masho. He's better off just leaving you here and never having to look at you again.

He wouldn't do that. He loves me, he's going to come for me.

****

Do you really want him to see what you've become, to know what kind of person you really are? I'd thought you rather let him never find you than to know that you're just a slut who fucked him to get his kicks.

I didn't! I love him! I would never hurt him!

****

Now you're fight back? You could have you thought to fight back against HIM instead of using it against a voice in your head. What happened to the brain _that you're _supposed_ to have?_

Just stop. Please let me be.He couldn't take it anymore. He was tired of fighting with himself. He just wanted to return to the void he'd been in. He knew that his abductor would be back soon and he didn't want to be around mentally when he did. So he closed himself off even more, forced himself into unconsciousness, if only to escape the voice that continued to cut him down with his own insecurities and doubts.

****

JC: This is one of the more darker chapters in the story with the return of the Voice and evil sadist man.

Kathrine: Yeah, but you can expect the darker version on AFF.Net and even MM.Org when we get to it on there.

JC: We hope you like it. Even though Kathrine is going overboard on torturing Seiji.

Kathrine: But don't you all love us for it. I mean, who doesn't love to see bad things happen to their favorite Anime characters?

JC: Whatever, please review and tell her she's definitely insane

Kathrine: Please, EVERYONE knows that already!


	6. Chapter 6

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A/N: We finally finished it! We finally finished it!!!

Kathrine: I really like this chapter.

JC: Yeah, 'cause you wrote A LOT of it.

Kathrine: I know.

JC: Well, we know yall are ready ta kill us because this probably wasn't the update yall wanted.

Kathrine: But this one has been coming for a LONG while.

JC: Well we hope that we made it clear on which 'plane' was which 'cause they do some jumpin'.

Kathrine: Yeah, now we hope yall enjoy. Sorry, it took so long to get out.

Disclaimer: Been there. Said that.

Warnings: Dark themes, Seiji-torture, Anubis-angst, lotsa drama.

/ BOLD/ = Anubis' Mind

/_ITALICIZED/_** = Spiritual Plane**

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Conflictions for the Heart

By Kathrine and JC

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Chapter 6

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He stared out at the plain he stood on, the trees and grass beautiful and luscious flower aromas floating about him. He knew they were coming, that they would need his services once more. He had almost left, never needing or desiring to return to that place. But he knew something was going to go wrong, a warning appearing as a dead doe before his departure. So he had waited for when they would call upon him, waited until the disaster he could not prevent struck.

He felt the air shift, the wind bringing his guests to that plane. **How deep did the troubles go before they decided to come to me for help? **_He wondered._

That was when the two forms manifested before him, one his former lover and the other his mentor. " Why have you returned?" he asked them. " Has all truly go so wrong that you would need me?"

" I see you knew we would come Shuten," Rajura stared at him.

" Yes I knew, but I do not know what has happened to make you so desperate," the red-haired spirit finally took a chance to gaze upon his former lover. He could see nothing of the Anubis he knew in the other form's eyes. They were black, empty, and yet full of so much unspoken pain.

" What has happened to him?" Shuten questioned.

" A spell he attempted to find his lover went awry and he has been trapped in his mind," Rajura explained.

" Korin is missing?" Shuten's eyes widened slightly. He hadn't realized something such as this would happen. His link to the physical plane had weakened since his talk with the blonde that long month ago. He wasn't able to see it coming.

" You knew?" Rajura raised a brow.

" It was I who brought them together," Shuten stated matter-of-factly. " Now what has happened to Korin?"

" From what I know, he came missing last evening and we have been unable to find him," Rajura explained. " Anubis was able to feel his pain, knew that something terrible was happening to him, but when he tried to link their yoroi to find him…"

" The bond was never completed," Shuten finished for him.

" He's trapped somewhere in his mind, I had to force his spirit to this plane," Rajura sighed. " You have been the only one to reach him when he is in such a state and we need him to find Korin."

" I do not know if I can reach him now," the red-haired man sighed. " Our bond is not as strong as back then, I do not carry an armor and he has found another. But I shall try." He moved from his place to stand in front of Anubis. He reached up a hand to caress an unusually pale cheek.

" Let me in Anubis, allow me to see the part of you that is lost," Shuten requested. He closed his eyes and used what power he still had to touch his former lover's thoughts, to connect with him.

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He found himself in the dark, in a world with no light. / The Light is gone, there is no Light. /

Shuten turned around but saw no one. _But who spoke? Anubis?_

/ The Light is gone, there is no Light. No meaning left to live./

" Anubis?" he called out. " Where are you?"

/ Searching, must find the Light, need Light./

" But he's not here," Shuten reasoned. " He's somewhere else."

Before he could anticipate it, a hand was grasping his throat tight. He watched as the darkness parted slightly to reveal a man who no longer seemed like one. His midnight/blue hair was long and shaggy, his eyes black and feral, his fangs were bared as if ready to attack.

" You know where Light is?" the person growled. " You took Light, give Light back."

" Anubis, it's me," he reached up a hand to touch the other's face.

" Where is Light?!" the other repeated in an angry manner. He refused Shuten's touch.

" He's in the other world Anubis, remember? He's in the Nigenkai," Shuten explained as one would to a small child.

" No, not here, can't feel, gone," his eyes seemed to look far away and his grip loosened. Shuten took that moment to back out of his former lover's grip and to watch him.

" You have to find him," Shuten told him. " But to do so, you have to go back."

" No go back," Anubis shook his head. " Light not there, gone, empty."

" But he is there, they need you to find him," Shuten persisted. He remembered this game very well. It was when he had first entered the Youjakai to meet his other warriors. He knew Naaza and Rajura, but he hadn't met Anubis for weeks. He stayed locked away in his chambers, Arago believing him too dangerous to let run free.

But he remembered the day his curiosity got the better of him and he snuck into Anubis' room to meet the man wolf that Naaza had warned him of. He'd almost died that day, but Anubis had let him live, he had spoke of searching for something that he couldn't find. He never understood until days later when he had connected with Anubis' mind.

Days before becoming lost in the mountain wilderness, Anubis had returned home from the war. He found his village burned and family slaughtered. He had mourned and buried every family member but one, his younger brother. He had been but a few years younger than Anubis and the blue-haired boy had never found his body. He left in search of those who destroyed his village and taken his brother, but became trapped in the storms of the mountain winter instead. He'd only been able to survive because a pack of mountain wolves had saved him after being injured during a blizzard.

It had been forcing him to face the truth that Shuten had pulled him from his feral state. He knew now that it would not work as it had done the time before for it was the reality of Korin's absence that was the problem. Shuten knew he would have to convince Anubis that Seiji wasn't as gone as he believed he was.

" What has happened to Seiji, Anubis?" Shuten asked him in a very calm voice.

" Pain, hurt, shame, hatred, gone, he's gone," tears seemed to fall from empty eyes. Shuten could tell that his former lover could still feel emotions, but the sanity and ability to understand was gone. How was he going to be able to communicate with what was left of his sanity when he didn't know how?

" Gone," Anubis whispered once more. " Just…like…you."

" Nani?" the redhead stared at him with widened eyes. " Just like me? Do you know who I am Anubis, do you remember me?"

" Sh-Shuten," the eyes seem to gain back a flicker of understanding before the empty yet pain-filled stare return. " Gone, dead, died, gone. Light gone too. Gone like Shuten. Gone like brother."

The former Oni Masho could finally see something about the blue-haired man's state. He was afraid in a way. Anubis' younger brother had meant so much to him and he had been taken away and never found again. Shuten had left him as well, dying for the greater cause without even thinking of what the grief might do to his lover. And now, Seiji had been taken away from his as well and was enduring who knew what at the hands of his abductor.

Anubis had reverted back because in his feral state he would be able to better handle the reality if he could not find Seiji. If he had truly lost his last hope at true love and happiness he might as well have been the wolf whom never chose another mate after its true mate died, living out the rest of its life alone. The energy drain and severing of his link with Korin had only pushed it to a level where he could do nothing but think of Seiji and finding him. It seemed that by reverting back he only made it worse on himself.

" Anubis, you must listen to me," he reached out again to touch the other's face. The other allowed him to and he traced the centuries-old scar affectionately. " I died for you, please do not feel any pain because of it."

" My fault, all gone, my fault," Anubis repeated as he shook of the hand once again.

" No, not your fault," Shuten insisted. " I chose my own path that day as you chose yours in the end as well. You couldn't stop them from taking your brother, you weren't even there. Korin's disappearance isn't your fault either. You didn't know this would happen and he wouldn't want you to feel guilty over it. Believe me Anubis, none of this is your fault."

" MY FAULT, MY FAULT!!" Anubis didn't seem to understand how it could be otherwise. He was certain he was to blame. Shuten wanted to hit his former lover, but he knew that the best way to win was to fight fire with fire.

" You're right, it is your fault!" he shouted back to him. " You handed your brother over to your enemy's army, you forced me to give up my life, and you handed Korin over to the hands of his kidnapper! It's all your fault!" From the look on Anubis' face, he believed the redhead's false words. Shuten was frustrated and did the only thing he could think of even though before he had chosen against it. He reeled his fist back and punched Anubis so hard that he was stumbling to keep balance.

The look on the blue-haired man's face was one of pure shock and anger. But the anger seemed to dwindle as he saw the sad, loving expression in the other's eyes. He could sense the man was deeply upset with him, but not for the loss of his lover. He was upset because he blamed himself. Why would he care? The animal within him was slowly beginning to regress as his logical mind took over. He was starting to understand things again, like feelings, memories, and what the redhead was talking about.

__

Shuten? His mind registered the identity of the man before him. It was Shuten, his lover that had died only a few years before in order to save them from their once-master-and-emperor Arago. _But how is he here with me? Am I not in my mind? What is going on?_ It confused him that his deceased lover would come within his mind when he was supposed to be in the realm of the dead. A blank spot in his memory was causing him worry.

Shuten watched as recognition finally set over Anubis' features. _His mind is returning to him,_ he sighed inwardly. _Strange how it always takes me hitting him to get things through his thick skull._ " Anubis? Do you remember now?" he asked. " Do you know what has happened?"

" Hai…I believe," the swordsman nodded absently. " But why are you here? I know this is my mind, why have you come to reach me here?"

__

Just as before…the former Masho knew what had happened. The first time that he had brought Anubis from his feral state he had no memory of what he had done during that time. He hadn't even known he had the Yami no Yoroi because it had come to him when he was in said state. _He doesn't need to know,_ he decided.

" It doesn't matter," he replied. " Just know that the Yoroi no Korin was too weak to complete the conversion needed to find Seiji and you were sent here to rest. Rajura called upon me to bring you back so that you could find your lover." _He doesn't need to know that he became 'the wolf' again. He thought it was completely gone._

" Seiji, we can't find him!" Anubis was beginning to recall everything from before. " Can you help me, Shuten? Do you know how I can find him? I know something terrible has befallen him and I fear for his life as well as his soul."

" I am sorry my love," the other shook his head in dismay. " I hadn't even known that Korin was in danger, only sense something wrong in the Nigenkai. Rajura told me of his predicament."

The was a pained and disappointed look in Yami's eyes and Shuten wanted nothing more than to make all of his former lover's pain go away. No matter what paths Fate had chose for them, Shuten still loved the blue-haired man with all of his heart. He knew that the other still cared for him even though he had a new lover and had even given Korin his blessing during a dream that fateful night a month before. That's when he remembered something that could indeed help them.

" I know a way that I might reach your lover, but to do so we much leave this place," Shuten told Anubis. " We both must return to the other plane where Rajura is waiting for us."

" Are you sure?" a hopeful look was apparent.

" Even if I cannot find him, I may still be able to see if he is all right," the redhead replied and then extended his hand. " Come, we must go." Yami nodded to him, taking his hand just as they left the world within the swordsman's consciousness.

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Rajura could sense the two former Masho returning to the realm as Shuten's form reappeared before him and Anubis' eyes flashed open, a gasp escaping from his lips. " You did it!" he gave a relieved sigh. " Now we have to return to the realm of the tangible."

" Not yet," Shuten disagreed. " There is still something to be done here."

" Nani?" Rajura asked. " What could there be?"

" Once before I created a link with Korin when I brought him to this world in a dream," he explained. " I might be able to do the same again. If so, I can try to get him to tell us something that can help."

" True, but are you sure it will work?" Rajura questioned. " He closed himself to the other Troopers and even Anubis, how can you reach him?"

" If he is unconscious I can," Shuten told him. " For that is where our link is." He then closed his eyes once more. " Hopefully, he is not awake." Rajura and Anubis watched in silence as their departed comrade faded from the plane once more.

" Good luck," Anubis whispered, an unspoken prayer on his lips.

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" When will they get back here?!" Shu had lost all his patience over ten minutes before his most recent outburst. He couldn't stand not being able to do anything when one of his friends was in trouble. Even if Seiji and they had been distant for quite some time Kongo still considered him one of the best friends he'd ever had and wanted to do anything he could to save him.

" We have to wait," Naaza was getting frustrated with the younger boy. But he kept his harsh words to himself for he knew that he was only worried for his comrade. _I know exactly how he feels,_ his eyes turned back to the ground where Rajura's form sat, hands on the temples of an incoherent Yami Masho. He didn't know if Shuten would be able to bring the blue-haired man back from the brink of insanity like before. Everything was so different now.

" But there has to be something we can do now," Nasuti stated. " We can't just stand here and wait when they might not even be able to contact Shuten. Seiji needs help now!"

Touma agreed with her completely. Seiji wouldn't be able to wait. The man, Caril, had already harmed him, that they knew, but what if he tried to do something worse? And that something could be far far worse. _Gods, we have to find him._ There was that feeling again, that sense of distress due to something he couldn't, or rather _refused_, to acknowledge. _Seiji could be dead right now and I'm busy second-guessing myself._ He felt his heart lurch at the thought. No, Seiji was NOT dead! But he would be if they didn't find him soon.

Ryo wasn't in a much better state than Shu. He was sitting on the ground beside Nasuti, worrying his lip constantly as a means to take his mind off the situation. His was the leader, the one that was supposed to stop these sort of things from happening in the first place. _If I had stopped Seiji from pulling away from us, if I had done _**something**_, this probably wouldn't have happened._ _I'm supposed to protect them!_

" Ryo," Nasuti touched his shoulder gently, noticing the familiar look of self-deprecation in his eyes. " None of this is your fault. None of you are at fault in this. You all didn't know what was going on inside Seiji's head and definitely didn't know this was going happen. Don't blame yourselves."

The raven-haired boy gave her a small smile, quite out of place considering the current situation. " Thanks Nasti," he gave her a grateful look. _She's always there to make us feel better, even during times like this. _He couldn't deny that he thought the older girl was beautiful, the way her hair danced in the gentle wind, the way her deep blue/green eyes showed concern though she still kept her cool, and especially the way that her sweet voice lifted his spirits when everything around them was in near turmoil. Yes to him she was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen, hidden within sheer modesty.

" Nasuti?" he called to her.

She turned to look at him, giving the younger boy her full attention. " Yes, what is it?"

He was about to speak, to finally tell her how he truly felt, but then he stopped. It was as if something was caught in his throat and wouldn't allow him. _Not now, she probably doesn't even feel the same way about me. I can't push that on her now, especially when everyone is so worried about Seiji and Anubis. It would be selfish of me._ He shook his head at her and turned away. " Never mind, it's nothing," he stated quickly.

" Oh, all right," he missed the slightly disappointed look in her eyes and she turned to stare at Rajura and Anubis' still forms once again. _It's way too bad of timing to tell him how I feel,_ she thought, saddened. _He probably thinks I'm too old for him anyway. Why would he want someone who spends all her trapped in her work and barely even has a real life?_ Her eyes settled on Anubis. _He loves Seiji so much, I can tell. Is _**this**_ what love brings? All this pain and sadness? What's the point to it if it hurts so much?_

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He was blocked. Shuten didn't understand what had gone wrong. He followed the traces of the link he'd created with Korin no Seiji and they'd led him to a door. The door was made of steel, but he could see deep gashes in it, marring the cold perfection. It was as if something had come before him and had tried to get at whatever was behind the barrier, but it hadn't been able to break through.

" I see I'm not the only one here," a unfamiliar voice spoke from behind him. Even though he didn't know the voice, it seemed familiar to him all the same. He spun around and came face to face with something he believed to be human, although the distorted features appeared to be anything but. He couldn't even describe how hideous the face was and yet, couldn't stop staring into its irisless eyes. They were just pure black.

" Who are you?" the redhead demanded. " What are you doing within this boy's mind?"

" My name is of no importance," he replied flippantly. " And I am here because this is my last chance."

" Nani?" Green eyes didn't show the confusion Shuten felt. But he still couldn't help but feel like he had felt this demon, this presence before. It didn't seem as if it had been too long ago either. That's when it hit him.

" You the darkness I felt around Korin a month ago!" he accused

" Why you're the one that that ruined all my beautiful work?" the creature raised a brow that was hairless and disfigured. " But I you're more dead than I am."

" You," Shuten growled. " You were the dark energy that I sensed about Korin when he was on the verge of suicide. Who are you?!"

" I am Shikaisen," he finally answered. " And Korin is mine. I claimed him nearly a year ago and had almost succeeded in tapping into the entirety of his power, until the 'others' interfered. Along with my defeat came the chance that I've waited for. I was able to fuse the last bit of my energy with this boy. Because of this, he believes me as nothing more than his subconscious even though I am far much more."

" Why?" Shuten asked. " Why try to get him to kill himself? He is no good to you dead and that would merely be killing yourself again."

" Oh, I want him far more than dead," Shikaisen stated as if it was obvious. " I want him so far gone that his soul will be lost in the Abyss of the Forsaken."

Shuten's eyes widened at this. The Abyss was where all souls who were thrown away by the powers that be, and even the people themselves, so that they were condemned to be lost within their own personal hell for all eternity. And this demon being was attempting to do such a thing to Korin? Why? What had the blonde done to him that he would seek such a fatal revenge?

" I won't allow you to harm him," Shuten told him with a resolve in his tone that had been lost since he'd come to the world of spirits.

" I don't need to harm him," Shikaisen let out a distasteful cackle that made Shuten wanted to kill the creature again just to stop him from making the horrid sound. " Another has already taken that pleasure for himself. All I have to do is push him over the edge, which will be easy seeing as he is already on the precipice once again."

That's when the world around them shook with a ferocity that almost caused Shuten to actually lose his balance, which should have been impossible seeing as he needed no such thing and gravity did not exist. Then a heart-piercing cry echoed through walls and Shuten knew it had come from behind the steel door. He turned to stare at it with dismay, knowing that it meant Korin was in pain.

" A beautiful sound, isn't it?" Shikaisen asked. " I have always thought his screams sounded so musical. I could listen to them for all eternity."

" Sick bastard," Shuten spat at him. He'd had enough. He had to vanquish this demon before he had a chance to do anymore harm to Korin's mind than what was already being done. He knew that the blonde was in enough pain, he didn't need this monster torturing him from within his own psyche as well. He had to get rid of him and now.

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He let out another scream as the electricity was forced into his already abused body. His captor was enjoying his cries and yet he couldn't stop them from exiting his throat. He'd already lost his dignity to HIM and his pride was destroyed. He twisted in agony as the tazer was placed right against his chest where his heart was. He couldn't even scream then, it felt like he was about to die as his heart skipped at least three beats and his breath caught in his throat.

" So beautiful," he heard his tormentor praise in a husky voice. He couldn't believe watching him writhe in pain was actually turning the other on. But then again, the man was completely deranged and had practically admitted to having done this before so it shouldn't have been so surprising. How _anyone_ could enjoy such things was sickening in and of itself.

" Guess what my pet?" he pulled the tazer away and ran a hand down the blonde's heaving, bloodied, and now scarred chest, tracing the brand he left there. " I called a 'friend' of mine while you were resting. He sounded very interested in you. He just might be joining us for playtime later on."

__

Oh God no… Seiji wanted to hide within himself but he couldn't. The voice was there, waiting for him to return so that it could eat at what was left of his sanity as it had done only a month before. He was trapped with no way to protect himself. If he gave into his desire for oblivion, the voice would be there to beat down his mind, and if he remained conscious, this man would spend his every waking moment ripping screams and cries from his dying body.

__

Gods, someone help me, he prayed once again, even though he didn't really believe anyone was listening to his pleas. _I can't take anymore. I want to die. Please let me die…_

****

A/N: Good enough for ya? We hope yall don't mind the slight twist. And we just HAD to have Shuten do some fighting.

JC: We're always givin' Seiji little voices in his head and I guess we thought it was time to add more to it.

Kathrine: So review and tell us whatcha think about it.

JC: The next chapter should be out in a month or so. (Grins sheepishly)

Kathrine: We are definitely updating OVoRWwaCT this week. We've already started the new chapter and know exactly how we want it to go.

JC: We're being blackmailed by Shadow of Arashi to work on some our other stories too, so keep the look out.

Kathrine: She knows how much we want the sequel to Love Game! She just HAD to use it against us!

JC: It is for the better good of our fans though. We might actually get around to updating 'Fates of the Clans' if things keep going like this. (Sighs at the probability of THAT happening)

Kathrine: Well, we better get going if yall actually WANT more updates. Ja!


	7. Chapter 7

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A/N: Oh my Goddess, we actually updated. I am shocked.

JC: We have been working on our stories, believe us. We just haven't been working on the RW ones. (Sweatdrops) We also got hurt a few weeks ago and have had to pace our writing.

Kathrine: This was written because of the ever faithful and enthusiastic fan it seems to have gotten.

JC: Crimson Blade has been begging for this and we could say no.

Kathrine: So here it is!

JC: Okay, now we are working on about four stories right now. True Bloods got lost. -- We have to rewrite the whole chapter all over again.

Kathrine: We hate our computer sometimes.

JC: Anyway, why don't yall enjoy this and hope it satisfies ya.

Disclaimer: Did it a few chapters back. Go check them out for it.

Warnings: Seiji torture, Angst, Evil demons, lots of bad themes. Don't flame unless you want retaliation. Constructional criticism is welcome to make us better writers. And this is the edited version, new title and all.

/BOLD/ = Seiji's mind

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/ ITALICIZED/ =** Spiritual Plane / Flashbacks**

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Conflictions for the Heart

By JC and Kathrine

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Chapter 7

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Shuten had to come up with a plan of action quickly. He knew that Korin would not last much longer through the torment he endured. _But I must rid him of this wretched demon before I even have a chance of helping him,_ he realized. _He said he has fused himself with Korin, so I must first destroy his anchor to his unknowing vessel._ Yet even he knew that such a thing was easier said than done. He would first have to find what part of the boy's soul he'd fused himself to.

" Such a thoughtful look on your face, spirit," Shikaisen smirked. " Are you giving in before you have even begun?"

" Never would I submit to your likes, demon," Shuten growled vehemently. That's when he realized how familiar all of this seemed. _He has taken over part of Korin much like the way that damnable priest would enslave Kayura!_ But that also presented that a very familiar problem. _To free Kayura there had to be a sacrifice… me. Can Korin still be saved without someone forfeiting his life?_

" I see you're putting quite a bit of determination into this," Shikaisen almost laughed. " If you want, I'll let you have a head start on this. I have no fears about whether or not you will succeed and Korin is at a point that he will start to beg me for release soon enough." He smirked through his hideous features. " It will be amusing to watch both of your efforts." With that he seemed to fade away, going to enjoy events from the safety of his own refuge.

" Arrogant bastard of a demon," Shuten spat. He knew he couldn't follow the other unless he knew where he was going and he couldn't sense the demon's aura traces anywhere to guide him. It was obvious that he was experienced and knew what he was doing by the way he acted, so sure that the red-haired former Masho would fail. Now he was even more determined to win, not only to help Korin and Anubis, but also to beat the arrogance out of the other spirit.

__

But I still have to find out how he is fused to Korin, he told himself. _If I severe the connection between them than Shikaisen will be forced to flee before he himself is sucked into the Abyss of the Forsaken. _He looked back at the scarred door that led to the inner most sanctum of the young blonde's mind. He now knew it had been Shikaisen who had tried to enter but was unable to, meaning that the blonde still fought against him, whether he believed him his subconscious or not. That meant he still has a chance before everything was too far-gone to be saved.

__

Spirits must fuse with a spiritual aspect of a person, he reminded himself. _How did all of this happen? Why has this demon taken root here to begin with? Why does he want such fatal revenge against Korin?_ Not much made sense to him. He had known that things were taking place in Nigenkai, but not exactly what was going on. _He has to be a former enemy that was defeated,_ he assessed. _But why attack Korin? Would he not go after Rekka instead? Why does he hate Korin so?_

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They had been waiting for quite some time, but neither knew how long. Rajura knew that they needed to leave, to return to the real world, but he wasn't sure he could make Anubis leave with him. **How do I convince him it is for the best?** He wondered. The blue-haired man then made his predicament all that worse…or maybe simple depending on your view of it.

" What is it, Gen?" he questioned. " There is something you're wondering about."

" I believe we should return to the living world," he replied bluntly deciding against playing the run around.

" What?!" the other man's eyes went wide for a moment. " We can't leave! Shuten might come back! What if he can tell us something about Seiji?"

" I will keep a pathway to this plain," he told him. " But we must go back. We cannot further the search for Korin if remain we're here, simply waiting for answers."

Anubis was silent for a moment, thinking about his comrade's words. He knew the other was right, but he couldn't deny the fear that he felt, the fear that if he left than he wouldn't be able to get Seiji back. There was nothing else they could do in the Living Realm, but Shuten might be able to find something. **But what if by staying here I am only making things worse? **he asked himself. **I could be out searching for him instead of here, wallowing in fear and self-pity. Seiji needs me, I can't fail him again.**

" Anubis?" Rajura awaited him answer.

" Hai, we should return," he agreed. " We might still be able to find him on our own while Shuten searches."

" Indeed," Rajura nodded. " And as I said, I will keep a pathway open for when Shuten does return with something." He turned to face the blue-haired man and placed his hands on the sides of his head. " Are you ready, Yami?"

" Yes," he told him. The white-haired man closed his eyes and pulled them away from the plain, using his power to return them to their true realm.

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Naaza sensed it and quickly turned towards the two inert figures. Rajura's eyes flashed open as he took in a deep breath of air and Anubis' eyes regained their humanity. The others shifted all attention to the two warriors when Rajura slowly stretched, forcing the lethargy that had settled from his limbs. " Everything went as expected?" Naaza spoke to him, extending a hand to help the former Gen Masho to his feet.

" Yes, he is searching as we speak," the white-haired man confirmed. " I will keep a pathway open for when he returns."

" That won't hinder you?" the green-haired man questioned.

" I will be fine," he assured him.

Naaza accepted this and moved his eyes to Yami Masho who remained in his sitting position, though he was indeed in his right mind. He understood his reaction. It had to feel somewhat strangely for him after seeing Shuten again. He didn't know what the blue-haired man could be feeling, but he suspected it left him feeling confused. " Yami…" he started, but stopped when he heard something in the wind. He moved and saved himself from being struck by a fair sized rock that had come towards his former position.

" What the…?!" Kongo's eyes went wide before spinning around in the direction that the rock had been thrown from. " Who the hell would just throw something like that?!" The bushes didn't move and he moved forward, moving through them as much as he could.

" They are gone," Rajura told him. " As is Tenku." Suiko looked about instantly and found it to be true. Rekka seemed somewhat shocked by this and was Nasuti. None of them had seen Tenku leave. " Do not worry, he shall return shortly."

Anubis stood without a word spoken and wandered into the brush nearby. " Where is he going?" Nasuti wondered out loud.

" To get this," he answered as he exited. He held in his hand a hand-sized rock that seemed to be wrapped in something. He noticed it was some kind of yellow paper that was tied onto the rock by what appeared to some sort of string.

" It is a message," the blue-haired man explained as he removed the string. " She tied it on with a shoestring."

" She?" Suiko raised a curious brow. " How do you know whoever it was a she?"

" I know," Anubis replied. He unfolded the paper from around rock and held it up. " _Where water meets land at the time of God's opposition is where you shall find you're quarry_. She doesn't want to be known for actually helping us, hence why she wrote this."

" What does it mean?" Kongo asked. " And who sent it?"

" The girl from the club," Tenku answered, emerging from the trees in the park.

" Where the hell did you go?" Rekka demanded.

" It doesn't matter, I know where she was talking about," he replied.

" You know where Seiji is," Anubis eyes were full of hope that only two of them could see. " Take us there."

" C'mon," he motioned for them to follow him. " You three will have to ride with me seeing as I know you don't have a car." He pointed at the three Masho. " Thank Gods I drove myself or we'd have a real problem."

" Enough talk, take us to Seiji," Anubis told him coldly.

" Fine," Touma agreed as they hurried. He didn't tell them where he had gone because he himself was confused by it. Everything was confusing him lately.

**__**

------Flashback------

__

He watched as the rock was thrown for he remained slightly distanced from his friends. He saw the black hair from as the person moved around the bush to run. He took after her immediately, using a little of his yoroi's speed to beat her around the corner before she saw him. He waited and was greeted with him running right into him. If he hadn't been prepared she would have plowed him right over, but he stopped her, catching her arm before she could take off again.

She was, to put it lightly, shocked to see him as the one that had halted her departure. " How the hell did you get here?!" she demanded, obviously not having seen the events from earlier.

"I know shortcuts," he lied. " Now why did you throw it? What are you up to?"

" I don't know what you're talking about," she tried to play oblivious once again. " You're crazy!"

" And you just chucked a rock the size of my fist at my friend's head," he stated calmly. " Why?"

" None of your business," she told him. " I can do anything I want!"

" Are you trying to help us find Seiji?" he asked, watching her become stiff in his arms. " If you are, why not just tell us?"

" Look, I do things to stay alive," she told him. " Some of it I ain't proud of and some I wish I could undo. Some things on which I wish I could have chosen a different path. '** Where the water meets land at the time of God's opposition is where you'll find your quarry**_'."_

" What?" He gazed her a confused look as he released her arm. " That's where Seiji is?"

" Get there before he decides to move on," she told him.

" Why are you helping us?" Touma asked her. " You said you didn't want to die."

" I don't know," she shrugged. " Maybe I like to live the turbulent life sometimes." She then backed away, crossing the street. " You better hurry if you actually care about him as much as I think you do." She turned away from him and ran across the street, not even watching to see him race back to the others. He knew where to find Seiji.

****

------End Flashback------

__

Why did she help us? He still didn't understand. Why was that night so crazy? Why had Seiji been taken by a madman whose sister seemed just as estranged? Why was he feeling things he'd never felt before just at the thought of the blonde swordsman?

" Tenku, get going," he was jarred from his thoughts by Anubis' impatient words. He then realized that he was already in his blue two-door corvette and the Masho had already situated themselves.

" Yeah, we better hurry," he agreed and he started the car and pulled out into the street. He looked in the mirror to see that the red jeep was right behind him. He couldn't think about all of this now. They had a friend to save.

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She watched from the darkened street as the two cars full of the people she'd been watching drove off towards the destination. She had actually followed the blue-haired boy from where she had hit him in the alley a few blocks away. Something had seemed different about them, they actually cared about someone other than themselves. She'd lost them when they'd gone into the park, but had found them at the sound of yelling.

__

Why did I help them? she asked herself. She couldn't explain what it was about them that had set her off. She had been helping her brother with these 'pick ups' for months now, keeping him happy to keep herself alive. Why had she so easily decided to seal her own fate? Caril would kill her for sure now because he knew she was the only one who would sell him out.

Sighing, she pulled out a small picture from within her pocket, staring at it as she felt wetness on her cheeks. The picture was of her, hair longer and eyes happy, and another woman with deep blue/black hair and bright brown eyes. " Fey," she whispered before slipping the picture back into her pocket and trudging down the empty street, memories of someone lost to her on her mind.

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****

He'd been searching for a long time, checking through every aspect of Korin that he could for the link connecting him that vengeful demon, Shikaisen. It was almost as if there really was no bond between them and he'd simply taken residence within the boy's mind. But he knew that wasn't true, no spirit could do such a thing. He just had to search harder and check even the parts of the blonde's soul he'd never thought of before.

Right now he was in what seemed like a corridor of sorts. He knew this to be the memories that were closest to Korin's heart and soul, whether they were ones that traumatized him or ones of that were dear to him deeply. He then noticed that this place in Korin's soul felt different. It was like something wasn't right about it, something he couldn't quite understand yet.

He walked past each door slowly, touching them lightly as he passed. By touching he could tell whether or not they were good memories, or ones best left within the recesses of the blonde's subconscious. He was coming to the end of the corridor when he found three doors.

These three were different than the rest, one looking like the sliding panel from a dojo, leaving the red-haired spirit to guess it was something about his family. The one beside it was pitch black with the carving of a wolf on it, a cut across the creature's left eye. He knew exactly what was behind that door and was almost ready to open. But the final door was one that drew him in. It was green, a large symbol of a stylized lightning bolt in the center.

__

This is the door that leads to everything he links with his yoroi and the time he spent with the other Troopers, he guessed. _But what does he have behind it that he holds so close to him whether good or not?_ He reached out his hand, touching the door slightly. Good memories were behind this door, he knew that. He was about to delve deeper, but he was suddenly shocked as if electrocuted by pure energy.

He was thrown back, hitting the 'wall' of the other side of the corridor hard. His eyes were wide, staring at the door as bolts of electricity sparked from it. That was the sense of distortion in the hall, the feeling of not belonging. He now knew where Shikaisen had linked himself.

" Very good," a voice that was quickly becoming distasteful laughed. He stood to his feet, his head turning to glare at the demon he wanted to vanquish so desperately. " You have found my anchor, but what will you do about it?"

" I will destroy it!" he exclaimed as if it was so obvious.

" Destroy it?" the other seemed curious about his words as he smirked. " But by doing so you will destroy what ever is behind that door. All the boy's memories that are there will be gone. Are you willing to do that?"

The redhead's eyes finally filled with realization. _I don't even know what memories are behind that door other than them being something that means very much to Korin,_ he told himself. _If I destroy them he will lose all connected to them. How can I take something so dear away from him? What could that do to him?_ Now he understood why Shikaisen was so confident. He knew the former Masho would hesitate do such a thing, especially without knowing the full extent of the consequences.

__

What can I do? He asked himself. _How can I save Korin at the risk of destroying him in the process? _He didn't know what was the right path. He only hoped that the others were able to get to the blonde and save him before he was forced to make that decision because he wasn't sure if he would be able to.

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Seiji heard the door open and was secretly thankful. That meant his tormentor would stop touching him. He shied away from the other's hand as he went to touch his abdomen. He was so close to actually retching everything he'd eaten in the past month back up that he'd take any reprieve that was given to him.

" Nickson!" a voice called. His kidnapper gave him a small smirk.

" See, my 'friend' did come over to play," he teased. " We can have lots of fun. Right, my little toy?" That's when a form came into the doorway of the room. His eyes were blinded by pain, but he could still see clear enough. The man had black hair cut close to his head and dark brown eyes that seemed so familiar.

" Oh Gods, I knew he sounded familiar," the man gasped.

" You know him?" his tormentor, whose name seemed to be 'Nickson', questioned.

" Do you even know who you got there?" the man asked.

" No, he's my pet, that's all that matters," the other told him.

" Well, say hello to Date Seiji, heir to the Date Dojo in Sendai," he explained. " I thought I'd never see him again."

The blonde finally recalled who the other was, his eyes widening in shock. " Kazamatsuri Shingo…" he whispered. It was the same boy that he had faced the day he received Korin no Yoroi, though no longer a boy but a man.

" Glad you remember me, we've have lots of catching up to do," the black-haired man smirked and Seiji knew that his situation had just gotten a whole lot worse.

****

A/N: Yes, we made Shingo the villain…AGAIN. I think we're the only people who use him so often.

Kathrine: He threw something at Seiji! I hate him! He deserves to be made evil!

JC: You don't like anyone who hurts Seiji.

Kathrine: Only _I_ get to do that!! He's mine!

JC: Damn you're possessive. Oh well, Star Lin you better get the next chapter of Hunter's Tale ready 'cause we're going to be posting the next chapter of OVoRWwaCT soon! We had a deal!

Kathrine: We know this was short, but it's because we want to hold on the suspense for the ending. Only one more chapter and an epilogue to go, now.

JC: We hope you like it well enough. And we hope the editing is okay.


	8. Chapter 8

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JC: Do not kill us! We're updating!

Kathrine: We finally got over our writer's blonde with this story.

JC: We hope that it came out the right way, not to overly done.

Kathrine: It would have just been too odd.

JC: So we hope you guys are happy with this. But do be prepared for the Epilogue which will explained EVERYTHING as much as it should be.

Kathrine: Some things do have to be left open for the sequel.

JC: And you can thank this to the new computer we got. It helped a lot. We've been inspired to do a lot of writing.

Kathrine: And we have finally finished our editing of this story. It is now called the below mentioned title, it making definitely more sense. We hope you guys like it.

Disclaimer: WE DO NOT OWN!!!!!!

Warnings: Dark, NCS, Character Death, Abuse, lots of Angst to go around!

**__**

Conflictions for the Heart

By JC and Kathrine

****

Chapter 8

Shingo approached the blonde with a smirk on his lips. He'd wanted to get back at the blonde ever since he'd lost to him all those years ago. Because of his admitting to throwing sand into Seiji's eye to both his father and the Date Family that had been present, his life had changed. After getting home his father had punished him thoroughly for his dishonorable act and banned him from kendo tournaments for the rest of the year.

But ever since then he'd thought about the blonde that had purposely disqualified himself by hitting him and knocking off his kendo mask. He didn't understand why the other boy would take the punishment he knew he had received just to allow him the defaulted victory. For weeks he couldn't stop thinking about him, thoughts that turned from intrigue to desire and lust.

He wasn't sure when he began to want to do more that just have a rematch with him, but he wasn't about to say that the blonde wasn't someone to easily be desired. He was like a porcelain or marble statue that brought people from everywhere on the Earth to stare at its beauty for hours on end and bask in its magnificence. He had taken to going out late at night, to the most dark of places, just to find people, men or women, that actually resembled Seiji when he was still a teen. That was how he had met Nickson one night, searching for a look-a-like to his obsession, but he'd never expected to actually have the illusive blonde in front of him, ready to be possessed by him.

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Seiji couldn't help, but stare in disbelief. How had his former rival actually come into this? Why did the Gods decide to torment him by bringing pieces from his past into what was already the worse thing to ever happen to him? Why couldn't they give him a reprieve from his pain? What had he done that proved he deserved this?

__

I killed people, he reminded himself. _I thought that I had found closure for all the mistakes I've made and sins I've committed, but the Gods still deem me unfit for forgiveness. I deserve this for what I did._ He expected the Voice to attack him while in this vulnerable state, but it was strangely silent. He would have taken that as a relief any other time, but he wanted the Voice, wanted to distraction from what was going on outside his mind.

A hand slapped him hard across the face and he was forced from his thoughts back into reality. Said hand then grabbed him harshly by the chin and forced him to stare into smirking brown eyes. " Is my pet giving in to the pain?" Nickson inquired. " But we have so much more playing to do."

" You marked him?" Shingo stared at the brand on Seiji's chest. " How long have you had him?"

" Since around nine last night," the other answered. " But I know I want to keep him."

" You want him that badly?" the younger man didn't seem too surprised. " Believe me, I can understand. He is not the type you would want to give up too easily." He smirked at the blonde kneeling down so that he was eye level. " It looks good on him, a scar that can never be healed or removed. Proof of the lack of perfection everyone always used to believe he was."

" You're just as sick as he is," Seiji spat at him, the words rekindling some of his resilience. He still was confused at how a well-known person from a respected family, like Kazamatsuri Shingo, would KNOW let alone actually be FRIENDS with someone like this man, this evil being, Nickson. _What would his family say if they knew?_ He wondered. _Gods, what would Grandfather say if he saw me so pathetic and weak, so incapable of protecting myself? I brought this on myself, I became too comfortable in my life with Anubis. I deserve this._

Even without the help of the Voice that haunted him, he still taunted himself for his stupidity. He was so weak, how could he be worth anything more than a plaything for a sick bastard to get his pleasure from? He didn't deserve Anubis' love, he never had. Now the Gods had been kind enough to show him his true path, what he truly good for in life. _At least Anubis won't be brought down with me since he can't find me,_ he thought gratefully. _He needs someone better than me, someone untainted by their own acts and acts of others._

A prick was felt on his arm and he looked down, not even flinching at the slight flash of pain. His eyes were dead, a dark color so unlike his normal lavender/blue. His pupils began to dilate, his heartbeat began speeding up, and he knew what had been done. _They drugged me again,_ he thought as the fire returned to his body, the flame that ate at him insides and aroused him to a painful state. He felt everything and his eyes flashed around the room uncontrollably.

" You weren't kidding when you said that the drug got him going," he heard Shingo chuckle. " It hasn't even been three minutes and he's already ready to go."

" Just don't break him," Nickson's voice came. " He'll be a perfect playmate for his master. Just needs a little training, isn't that right Shingo?"

Hands touched his skin, digging short nails into his pale thighs and scratching downward. That touch alone was arousing to him, even though it was meant to cause some discomfort. All he knew is that he needed more, his body was craving more of any type of touch he could get. _Gods, what's happened to me?_ he thought in despair. _Why can't I fight this? Why am I so weak?_

" Well, you are like a bitch in heat, right?" Shingo's hands slid onto his abdomen, pushing at the gash on his stomach and causing them to bleed even more. The pain was there, like the knife being relodged into his body, but then there was the drug bringing pleasure with the pain. He cried out, but it ended as a soft moan.

A hand grabbed his face, forcing him to look into dark eyes once again. Shingo just smirked at him. " Just like a bitch, a pet for your master," he licked his lips. " Maybe later on I will show you what it is like to really be taken like one."

" Don't be _too_ rough with him," Nickson warned him with a strange look in his eyes. Shingo stared at him for a moment before nodding.

" Don't worry, I won't," he assured him. " We can't let him break too early."

" With enough work he'll be the perfect pet," the dark-haired man smiled at Seiji. " Isn't that right, my Seiji? Such a pretty name for you, but I would rather call you Cur. It fits better, don't you think so Cur?"

The blonde couldn't answer, still lost in the waves the drug had created in him. He wanted release, he wanted redemption, he wanted death, he wanted salvation. Too many things all combined at once, all begging him and none strong enough to win. He couldn't control himself, the feelings stirring in him even though they were not his own. He wanted it all to end, everything to just stop so that he could be lost in a dark void of nothingness. But he didn't deserve the oblivion, he knew that. He deserved the pain and humiliation that he suffered and more.

Suddenly a hand grasped him and his breath caught in his throat, the drug sending quakes of sensations through his entire body. Shingo laughed at this, loving the reactions the blonde was giving. " It is hard to believe that the 'perfect' Date Seiji is really just a perfect little toy."

" N-n-no," Seiji ground out, his teeth clenched as he tried to ignore the pleasure coursing through his veins. He couldn't betray Anubis anymore than he already had, even if the other man never wanted to see him again afterward.

" Do not worry," Shingo 'assured' him. " You will enjoy everything I do to you." He then leaned down over the blonde. " Drugs are wonderful that way, do you agree?"

He turned his eyes away, not wanting to face the reality of what was happening. But reality as that way of forcing itself upon you whether or not you want to accept it. You see and know everything that truly goes on even when you're trapped within your own imaginary world. And Seiji was wrenched from attempting to reach such a surreal place by the sharp pain in his abdomen.

Shingo pressed against the two bandaged gashes once again, knowing they were a very 'effective' way to regain the blonde's attention when he was trying to leave the here and now. " Keep those pretty eyes on me and me alone," he warned. " I love the attention and just _hate_ when people ignore me." The black-haired man turned his eyes to Nickson then, as if waiting for the older man to say something.

" You may have your fun with him, I just want to watch," he smiled. " I love to share. It just gives me a warm feeling when I can make someone else happy with one of my toys."

Seiji kept his eyes on Shingo's smirking face, not daring to even glance at his other tormentor. The crazed gleam in the brunette's eyes was hidden well by a feigned look of sanity. But he didn't know what had changed Shingo into this. He'd been a well-known competitor and his family was highly respected by everyone who knew them. Had the pressure and etiquette of being part of a high-class family drove him to the edge?

" Nickson, would you mind getting my bag from my car?" Shingo turned to his 'friend'. " I know you have little accessories for your toys here, but I prefer to always bring some extras."

" Of course," the other man agreed. He stood and Shingo proceeded to take off his coat, removing keys from the pocket and tossing them to him as the coat landed on the ground. " I will be back soon."

" You'll have to look for the bag," the black-haired man told him. " I know it is there, I just can't remember where I put it after the last time."

" Be back soon, have fun while I'm gone," Nickson headed towards the door. " And be a good host Seiji, make our friend feel welcome."

" Oh don't worry," Shingo assured him. " The Dates are very traditional with courtesy and proper etiquette. I believe he knows just what to do to keep a guest 'happy'." He turned to smile at the doped up blonde. " We will have lots of fun, won't we?"

Nickson left the room, going to get what he had agreed. He knew the types of 'accessories' that Shingo liked to bring for playtime and highly approved his methods. Maybe he would wait a while before going back in, give his two playthings a chance to get reacquainted. Who knew, this just might work out better than he'd even imagined it could.

He touched the blonde, holding him tightly. He was hard himself already, ready to strike. It had been quite some time since he had taken someone and now he didn't know if he could restrain himself. The object of his tormenting desire was right before him, legs spread like a good whore and hard and ready. He had wanted to take him slowly, to make it last, but he knew now that he just couldn't wait, couldn't hold it out.

He took of his coat and through it on the couch in the corner of the room and then opened his belt, undoing his clothing so he would have more capable movement. It was perfect. His stiff member was ready, already dripping just at the wanton sight of Date Seiji writhing in pain and pleasure on the metal table, tied down like a reluctant gift, though begging for whatever he could give, an oxymoron of desire and repulsion. It was delicious.

Seiji turned his head to the side to ignore whatever what was going. His limbs were shaking with the need to release, to let go. He was hard and unable to will it away, the drug keeping him on a painful high that he couldn't take. _Please just end it, Gods, just end it now,_ he begged in his mind. But he knew it wouldn't end here, no not with how things were leading.

The hands were on him again, pulling him downwards, burning the lacerations on his back, leaving behind a sick pleasure in the form of pain. His knees were lifted and forced apart, using his naturally flexible body to make the way easier. Callused hands gripped him tightly before the fire burned into him, causing a cry of pain followed but a forced moan. He didn't want this, didn't want to be used like some harlot. _But it's all I'm good for,_ he told himself. _This the only thing I'll ever be good for._

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****

Everything was coming together for Shuten now. He knew what the demon spirit's plan was. By destroying Shikaisen's anchor Seiji would lose a part of himself, tipping the scales of balance and sending the blonde's soul from his body into the Abyss of the Forsaken. But because the demon was now a free spirit he could inhabit the blonde's body if it was still alive therefore taking Korin's place.

__

He wasn't planning on taking Korin down with him, he realized. _He was planning on replacing him!_ Only he wouldn't let it happen. He had to find a way to defeat Shikaisen _without_ losing the blonde as a casualty. _Maybe if I weaken Shikaisen in a battle the bond he has with Korin will weaken as well. That might give me a chance of getting rid of it without actually causing harm to the boy._

" This waiting does become tedious," said demon sighed. " You know you cannot win, so why do you refuse to accept your loss?"

" Because I refuse to lose," the red-haired spirit sneered, closing his eyes and calling forth the power of the spirit. Seeing as he was not in a tangible world, but in the mind and soul of person he could use his ability, bring forth weapons to due battle with. Due to having it at his side for over four hundred years, he called upon a weapon identical to his kusari-gama, the scythe with the bladed chain belonging to Oni no Yoroi.

" Prepare yourself Demon," he warned. " Now is not the time for your arrogant confidence. Such stupidity can cost you your soul."

" Or maybe I'll just cost Korin's his," he replied with a smirk. Shuten almost growled at him, but wasted no time in attacking him quickly. Shikaisen jumped back, his smirk still visible. " I hope you know that time passes differently within the mind. One minute could go from being the same in the real world to equaling only a second or an hour even. Days could pass us by and we wouldn't even know it."

" That just means you'll have to die soon," Shuten pointed out. He took a swing, throwing his chain at his adversary, nearly catching him by the leg. But Shikaisen proved to be more agile than he had originally thought for the hideous elderly-seeming demon. Suddenly a sword appeared in the other's hand, striking down and slicing through Shuten's kimono. The redhead drew back instantly, but not fast enough to stop the blade from catching his clothing. Thankfully, it did not strike his skin.

__

I must be cautious and yet swift, he told himself. _If I am injured here or do indeed die, my spirit will be lost forever and Korin no Seiji will most assuredly follow after. We will both go to the Abyss._

" I do hope you will put up a better fight that this," Shikaisen teased.

Shuten gave a deadly smile of his own. " I was once the Oni Masho, Warlord of Cruelty. You have seen nothing of what I am capable of." Increasing his speed, he threw his chain out throwing the demon off guard. He then slashed his blade down, digging its cold steel into the perceived flesh of Shikaisen's arm. If it had been in the Physical world, the attack would have done nothing, but in the Mind it caused a wound that immediately bled dark near-black blood.

But instead of crying out in pain, Shikaisen merely stared at the wound before chuckling in a deep, dark voice. " Good, good," he spoke. " This might just be interesting after all." He held up his sword in both hands, only to have the blade extend to twice its original length and width. It almost looked like an identical replica of the Korin no Ken, the blonde's sword. " Now let us take things up a notch."

__

This is going to take too long, Shuten thought. _I don't have time to waste. The light is dimming faster. Korin is slipping further. There are only a few options I have left._

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Anubis watched impatiently as the buildings and streets changed, near to bleeding together. They were driving rather fast for being within the city limits, but had yet to be caught. He hoped no one would try to stop them because he was not to be detoured. He HAD to get to Seiji. He could already feel their connection slipping. It was as if something was blocking the link, much like a storm would interrupt the signal to a radio. Even so, small bouts of pain leaked through, and even a small dose of something he refused to believe was pleasure. Whatever was happening to Seiji, he knew it was far from pleasurable.

__

I hope the Gods are willing to take pity upon whoever has hurt him because I will not, he thought darkly. _He will wish that I had merely killed him._

" There!" Touma shouted. " The Shoreline Motel!"

The Yami's eyes shot forward to look at the somewhat rundown building that was nearing them on the left side of the road. It wasn't as bad off as he thought it should be. He expected having to run into a cesspool of filth like the shows he'd seen on the television, even though Seiji had often explained to him that most of the things he saw on the box were not actually true. It was not that bad off, but still, it wasn't shogun's house either.

" How do you know of such a place?" Naaza asked their blue-haired driver.

" When I was younger I used to get into spats with my dad about spending too much time away from home," he replied. " I ran away once and made it all the way to Shinjuku only to have enough money for one night at a not-so cleaned up motel. The guy who used to own this place was nice though and actually let me clean up the rooms as payment. That is…until my dad showed up to get me two days later."

" And you know Seiji is here?" Anubis asked.

" Yeah, they have this 'funny' way of numbering the doors, 6, then 66, then 666, and so on, seeing as the have eight rooms," he replied. " The riddle made me think of it immediately." They pulled into the parking lot and Anubis was already opening his door. Touma didn't even bother shutting off the car as he and the other two warlords followed after him. He noticed from the corner of is eyes that the other Troopers were getting out of the jeep not too far behind them as Ryo cautioned Nasuti to stay inside.

" Which door?" Anubis demanded.

" 666," Touma told him.

Anubis hurried through the parking lot, looking at the numbers and heading towards the left. He accidentally ran into a man waiting around outside, but didn't even bother to pay any attention. He didn't even glance at his face. He finally saw the one he had been searching for, two doors down from the end of the building. He increased his speed, rushing. The pain in his heart told him that there wasn't much time left. _No!_ he refused to think that way. _Please hold on Seiji, I'm coming for you, just please hold on._

" Anubis stop!" Touma grabbed his arm. " You can't go rushing in there! He might hurt Seiji!"

" He already has!" the other retorted back.

" But do you want him dead?" Tenku asked him. " 'Cause if ya do, then go ahead. Barge in there without thinking and get him killed."

Anubis growled. " What would you care?" he inquired harshly. " You and you little group of 'friends' turned your backs on him without a second thought and now that something bad happened you want to set things right. There are names for your kind of people and none of them are flattering."

" Yami…" Rajura's tone was a warning.

" No, he's right," Shin broke in. " We didn't look for Seiji when he disappeared like we should have. We gave up after the first week and assumed he just didn't want to be found. We thought HE didn't care. And yes, we're trying to make things right, but that's because we didn't know what we were doing was wrong until now. But that doesn't mean that we can't still try."

" Yeah," Shu agreed. " We have to let Blondie know that this isn't his fault. He shouldn't have thought it was in the first place."

" Right," Ryo put in. " but for that we have to set things aside and make sure we don't do anything that will get Seiji hurt. Whoah…did I just say that?"

Rajura gave a small chuckle to that remark. " You're wisdom has grown, Rekka. Age does such things."

" Please Yami," Touma asked him. " Just let believe us. We're not going to turn away from Seiji again. Let us help."

The blue-haired man didn't want to listen, didn't want to let go of the anger he felt towards the rest of the Troopers. They had practically abandoned Seiji, led him to attempt taking his own life. It was really that he wanted a way to focus the anger he felt towards this 'Caril', the one that had harmed his Seiji. _But they are not to blame for this,_ he reminded himself. _If anyone is to blame, it is I for letting him bring us to such a place where he could be harmed, for going after Tenku when I knew I should have stayed. They played their part, but not in this._

" I understand," he finally answered. " We must work together…for Seiji."

Touma gave a smile. " Good, I know how to do this, just try to stay out of sight." The others nodded before backing away from the door while Touma walked up to it. Rajura smirked before snapping his fingers and all of the others, but the archer, disappeared. Touma nodded and then banged on the door twice. " Open up!" he called out, his voice sounding older and more haggard. " Ya haven't paid up for tha night! You betta have ya money or ya getting the hell outta here!"

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He gave a small gasp at the pain the dug deep into his body. His voice was gone, he throat clenched and dry. His eyes were blurred, everything unclear. He knew it most likely had to do with the third dose of the drug that his tormentor had given him. Instead of making him painfully aroused, he'd becoming sweaty and weak. His body felt like lead. He didn't think it was the same drug he'd been given before.

" Cry for me," the voice was fuzzy, as if drowned out by water, or the throbbing of his heart in his ears.

But he couldn't cry like his captor wanted. His eyes were red from earlier tears. He did not believe he could give anymore. The pain dug deeper into him, his hands tried to clench into fits, but were too weak. The only sound the came from his was a quiet whimper in the back of his throat.

" So weak, like a small babe or a young fawn, unable to stand on its own legs yet," the man whispered into his ear. He let his eyes roam, falling on the other, but still too fogged to see him straight. " I guess we're going to have to let you rest before we start up again, eh little pet? That's what you are, isn't it? Just a pet to be pushed around until your Master sees fit to take pity on you. Or some toy to be thrown away when you're no longer useful."

Then there was the sound, someone was pounding on something. Seiji almost believed he could hear a voice, but his hearing was fading even more. Everything was slowing down for him. He could even feel his heart as it lessened its pace, becoming only three-fourths its normal rate. He knew it was lowering more and more as time went by, taking what was left of his life and spirit with it. _Do…do I want to be saved? Do I want to face the Darkness my life will be if I return to it? Nothing will be the same. Anubis…Anubis will only be hurt by me. I can't do that to him. I can't go back._

" I'll be right back," his captor told him in an assuring manner. " I'll even leave my present in you until I get back." And then he was gone and another piece of Seiji faded away.

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Shu wanted to laugh at how serious the blue-haired man sounded, but knew that this was no laughing situation. This was one of life and death. If they did something wrong even in the slightest, Seiji could pay the ultimate price for it. _Why do things never stay right for us,_ he wondered. _Something always happens, is it because we bear the yoroi? Are we forced to face ALL the evil in the world, not just the supernatural?_

Touma banged on the door again and waited. They heard someone moving around before the door was opened a small amount. A man stood before them, dark hair and eyes, with a frown on his face. " I don't have the money now," he replied. " Come back in half of an hour and it will be here."

" Mrs. Sanokuo is waiting for her payment," Touma spoke, hiding his anger as much as he could. Could this be him? Was this the guy that had kidnapped Seiji and hurt in a way that it had actually showed on Yami Masho? But he looked so normal, even though it was obvious he had been up to something. His hair was slightly tousled and he was sweaty. He looked like someone who had been either run a marathon…or had just finished having sex. Touma voted for the latter with the heavy smell that filtered through the small doorway.

" It will be here in thirty minutes," he replied. " Just knock and it will be sent through the door."

" All right," Touma nodded. " I'll be back, but if ya don't have it, Sanokuo ain't gonna be taking it outta my hide."

" It will be here," the man repeated. " Now if you do not mind…I have company." The remark almost sent Touma off the deep end. He so wanted to go after the man right then and there. The door was shut quickly in his face with a not so soft bang.

" Why did you not force your way in?" Anubis demanded as the others suddenly returned to view.

" You better just hope no one saw that," he other blue-haired man stated. " But we don't know that Seiji is actually in there. I couldn't just barge in."

" He's there," he swore with conviction. " I can feel him in there and if we don't do something he'll be gone. I can't wait any longer."

Anubis turned and pushed on the knob to the door. Strangely enough, it wasn't locked and he opened it as far as he could. He stared down the small hall that turned off at what looked to be a small bathroom and another open room. His enhanced senses let him smell the blood and dead scents in the air as if a bleeding corpse had been left right before him. He wanted to cover his nose, but he could also determine the scent of sex, of release and sweat. And then there was the final smell, the one that meant the most to him…the smell of sandalwood after a fresh rain in the spring. _Seiji…_

" Hey…" they heard the voice of the man from the door. He stepped into the hallway, allowing them to see him more clearly. His shirt was partially open and his pants had only been buttoned, the belt still undone. There was red splotched all over the formerly pristine shirt and he held a wooden stick in his hand, something was on the end of it, covering the rounded point to make it a deep dirty brown. The smell was obvious…blood.

Anubis struck. The long claws that accompanied his Yami no Yoroi appeared on his hand before digging into the belly on the man before him, nailing him into the wall. A gasped, shocked noise escaped his lips. His dark eyes were wide in pain. The steel claws were removed just as swiftly as they were entered and he slid down the wall to the ground.

" Seiji's blood," he growled, his canines seeming to lengthen as his feral anger increased. " You hurt him. You made him bleed." He grabbed the man by his shirt, ripping it mostly from the dying body as he dragged him until he dangled above the ground. " I can smell him all over you."

The man opened his mouth, trying to speak, but only blood dribbled down the left corner. " Die 'Caril'," Anubis whispered, his mind fully overtaken by his rage and concern for his lover. He then drug his claws back into the man's body, only to twist them crudely. This only caused a loud raspy breath to escape as more blood poured from both the wound and the dark-haired ma's mouth.

" Yami!" Touma's voice called to him. He turned his eyes and froze at the sight. Inside the dim lighted room the man had exited were objects, obviously meant to cause pain. They were strolled all over the floor and on the chair. The table nearly stopped his heart. Lying on the table was the blonde he had been searching for. His stomach was covered in bloody bandages, his hands and legs shackled to chains on the ends of the metal counter. His clothes were gone and his body was covered with bruises, bite marks, blood, and what even looked to be semen.

Now that his sense were clearer, less wild, he could smell everything, almost as if he could taste it in his mouth. He felt as if he would lose whatever food he might have within him due to what he saw. Touma and Naaza were already at the blonde's side, the master of poison knowing best how to remove the younger man's chains.

" Oh Gods…" he whispered. _He did this to him,_ he thought. _He hurt Seiji._ It only served to make his rage unstoppable. He twisted the claws into the man again, digging until he could feel the blood and inner organs against his fist within the weapon before ripping outwards, watching as everything else came out with them. The man was now gone. The innards made a sickening splat at the hit the floor and Anubis let the man drop with them. He let the claw fade as he pushed through the others, going to Seiji's side. _Oh Gods, don't let us be too late._

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****

He jumped back, dodging the large blade by mere centimeters. Already he had a deep cut to his leg and a slash to his cheek from a latent reaction. Shuten knew he had to come up with a plan and quick before he had no strength left to fight. It was taking too long. The remainder of light within Korin's mind was already fading away. The blonde was dying, or at least his soul was. Shikaisen was winning, even though they both had sustained serious injuries that would kill a mortal, the other spirit was nearer to his goal that Shuten. Seiji was still losing his own battle and that was what the demon wanted.

__

I can't allow this to happen! He told himself. _I have to get rid of the lecherous demon or else he'll be completely lost!_ He knew what he had to do, but he didn't want to take such a risk, didn't want to think of the consequences if he failed. But he knew that now he had no other choice._ I have only one option left and I hope I'm not too late in taking it._

" Thinking will get you killed…again," Shikaisen smirked. He drove the replica of Korin ken forward once more with lightning speed. Shuten surged forward as well, this time ready. He swung his chain out towards the demon sorcerer, but it was maneuvered about easily. That was exactly what he wanted. He jumped to the side, missing the swipe of the no-datchi and then leaped in the air. He twisted himself around and landed gracefully at his destination, raising his sickle into the air.

Shikaisen turned to face him, eyes widening at what he realized was going to happen. " No, you wouldn't!" he shouted.

" It is the only way," the red-haired spirit stated, accepting his decision. He gathered every ounce of power he still had and struck out, forcing his energy from within his own spirit and into the door that held the lightening bolt emblem. The powers collided, causing the corridor to be filled with the bright sparks between them. The anchor embedded in the memories behind the door was overrun by the former Oni Masho's energy.

Shikaisen felt himself being ripped by the loss of his ties to the boy. " NO!" he cried in distress. Suddenly, the solid form he held seemed to disintegrate, breaking down with the destruction of his power. " You would choose to sacrificed his mind for victory?"

" What must be done will be done," Shuten stated.

" Then he shall join me soon," Shikaisen laughed, only to scream out when he was completely engulfed by the darkness that claimed him.

Shuten fell to his knees; his eyes tired and body depleted of energy. He'd won, the demon spirit was gone. But then his relief was taken by the feeling of the area around him rocking back and forth as if by an earthquake. He looked up instantly and saw that the door he'd just bombarded was cracking, bright lights shooting out from within it. The doors around it seemed to be affected as well, each one crack through the center.

__

No! The door is breaking! He realized his original fears were correct. _I have to do something. _Even so he couldn't think of what to do. The hall was falling apart meaning that Korin's mind was going with it.

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Anubis kneeled next to the battered form of his beloved and shakily reached out a hand to him. " Seiji…" he called out. " Please…" He let Naaza melt through the one final chain with the acidic venom seeping from underneath his fingernails. He lifted the blonde them, bringing him to his chest as he cradled the broken body like a newborn babe. " Oh Seiji, my light…"

Swollen, red eyes opened, slightly glazed and unfocused, a dark dull purple instead of lavender/blue. " A…nu…bis…?" the soft raspy voice spoke in return. It sounded confused, dazed, and so low even his sharp hearing strained to catch it.

" Seiji, I'm here," he ran his hand through sweat soaked hair, the ends in the back slightly tinged pink. " Everything is going to be all right Seiji. He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore."

" Go…ne?" the blonde sounded farther away, as if he was slipping.

" Yes, he's gone Seiji! I'm taking you home! You're going home," Anubis continued to speak to him, even as he felt the tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see that Shu had removed his black over shirt and was offering it to him to cover Seiji with. " No," he declined. " I'm taking him straight home. He's been poisoned, I can smell it in his sweat. I have to get him home."

" Yes," Naaza agreed. " I know not what was used, but it seems extremely potent. I can heal him of it at our apartment."

" Seiji, we're going home now," Anubis turned back to his lover. " Home."

" No…Ho…" Suddenly glazed dull eyes went wide a gasping cry being released from the abused throat before the eyes rolled into the back of is head and the blonde went limp. Anubis felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if half of his body had just been cut away and the rest was reeling from the loss. He was taking in deep breaths to steady himself as he held the blonde closer to his chest.

" Sei-Seiji!" he called to him through his own distress, trying to reach to his lover. " Sei-Seiji, no! Please! Wake up!"

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****

Everything was falling apart. The corridor was fading into an inky black as the doors cracked, the sound echoing loudly. Then the mist came, filling up the hall. Shuten knew that it was too late, he couldn't save him. _I have failed,_ he thought. _I failed them both. I am so sorry Anubis. I thought it would work. But I was wrong, I was wrong._

The door with the lightening bolt splintered, everything seeming to explode before his eyes. " NO!" he yelled out. " I won't let this happen! I'd rather give up my eternal spirit that to let this happen!" He stood on the shaky ground his body beginning to emit a burgundy glow. _Oh Anubis, please know that I did this for you…for both of you._ The glow enveloped everything, disintegrating the mists and turning into a bright, golden white light.

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" Seiji!" Anubis cried out just as Rajura let out a deep gasp, his hand going to his chest. The blonde was still and unresponsive. His body was becoming an empty shell. " No!"

Rajura held his hand to his chest, his shock unwavering. _Shuten?_ he thought, but could no longer feel the connection he had left open to his late brethren. It was dead and blank. _What has happened? What has he done?_

Tears fell from Anubis' eyes, unable to bear what seemed so obvious to him. He held the limp body to him, smothering his face in the still soft hair. " Awaken Seiji," he called to him in a soft mantra. " Do not leave the Darkness without Light. Do not leave the Darkness without Light."

" This isn't happening," Shu shook his head in disbelief while Shin cried into his chest. Ryo had a hand on Touma's shoulder, steadying the blue-haired boy less his legs give way on him. Both had tears in their eyes ready to fall. Their friend was gone and it seemed like Yami was about to lose himself completely.

" Please…" Anubis was the only one that would not, COULD not accept the truth. " Do not leave the Darkness without Light. What would the Darkness truly be with no Light to define it, to give it meaning. Nothing, black nothingness. Do not do this to me, you cannot leave me. I cannot lose you…He said you were the one. He said you were the one…"

He laid his head on the still warm chest, trying to send his own life into his love's body. He couldn't let go, not now, not after they had only found each other such a short time ago. He couldn't lose Seiji. If Anubis lost the only light left in his life…he wasn't sure he could live through it-or if he'd want to.

__

Seiji, please do not let go my love, he prayed silently. _Please do not force me to live this life without you. I have already give away one love to death…please do not be another._

Then he heard it. The soft, offbeat thumping against his ear. He almost thought it his imagination until he was greeted by he deep, shaky intake of breath that accompanied it. He looked up to see that the blonde had indeed began breathing again, only unsteady and shallow. " Seiji?" he called. " Oh my Gods…"

Eyelids slip upwards, revealing two glazed orbs that were tired beyond recognition. Anubis stared deep into them, trying to decipher what had been done. One was lavender/blue, the other deep green. " Nani?" the Yami Masho didn't understand, but the eyes closed once again, the head drooping to his shoulder. " Seiji?! Please no!"

Naaza knelt down and checked the blonde's pulse instantly. " He's alive," he told him in assurance. " His brush with death has left his extremely weak. He needs to get home so that we can treat his injuries and remove the poison from his system."

" Here," Rajura handed a piece of paper to the Ryo. " That is our address, including the apartment number. Come by in the morning and not before. We cannot deal with all of you at once."

" Wait a minute!" Shu exclaimed, his mind still reeling, though giddy, from the fact his blonde comrade was not dead.

" Do not test me," Rajura warned. " Korin needs to be treated and you all will only get in the way. Come by tomorrow or else we'll return with him to the Youjakai so that he can be healed without interference."

" What?!" Shin was even taken aback by his words. " The Youjakai?!"

" Listen to them," Touma butted in. " Seiji is more important than trying to assuage our guilt. We'll see him tomorrow, you can count on that."

" Besides, you all have your cars to deal with," Naaza told them as Anubis stood, the battered body of his worn lover in his arm. " We don't." With that hey faded from the room, teleporting to where they knew it would be safe.

" We have to get outta here," Touma told them. " There's a dead body over there and someone is gonna notice all of this soon."

" Yeah," Ryo agreed. " Nasuti's probably worried sick. She's gonna kill us!"

" Seiji's alive and he's going to be okay," Shu said. " Isn't he?"

" He has to be," Shin said. " He thought that he meant nothing to us and yet without him everyone of us will fall apart, even the Masho. Without Anubis they'll be lost as well and Seiji is very important to him, that is apparent."

" We better get going," Touma motioned towards the doorway, around the body. " Covered your faces so that hopefully no one will notice. We'll shut the door." They all agreed, each hiding their main features in some way as they left the building rushing to their cars as fast as they could. They wanted to visit Seiji early so they would not have to wait long.

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He stood over the cooled body, taking in the beauty of its destruction. Kneeling, he let his hand pull away the tattered shirt to reveal the mark over the chest. The upraised brand of a star with the symbol for '_ne_' in its center. " They broke one of my favorite toys," he whispered. " They ruined it. And they took my pet." He ran his finger gently over the mark. " I want my toy back." A smirk then slipped across his features. " And some people need to know when to not tattletale."

****

Kathrine: how do ya like them apples?

JC: And the best is still to come.

Kathrine: Be ready for the Epilogue, it will really get to ya with the surprise we've got waiting for you.

JC: Review and tell us how fast ya want it.


	9. Epilogue

****

Kathrine: And here is the ending that you all have been waiting for!

JC: We tried to get this out sooner, but just couldn't seem to find the time until after school ended.

Kathrine: Today just happens to be the first official day of summer vacation!

JC: So now it is also the official day that we ended this story. This chapter is very off, but we hope you like it anyway.

Kathrine: Do NOT expect fuzzy moments and lovebirds. You won't get it. Actually, some of you might just be mad at us after reading this.

JC: And now that we have finally finished this we are going to get started on writing some more chapters for a few others. Any suggestions? Not just RW/YST mind you, any of them.

Kathrine: We are going to try and write for our LOTR stories so please be patient, we've got more time, and a few ideas on how we want stuff to go.

JC: So just wait and see how things turn out!

__

Conflictions for the Heart

By Kathrine and JC

Epilogue

It was dark. He hated the dark. He lay curled up against the corner of the bed, his back to the wall and his eyes trained through the shadows of the dim moonlight from his window to the door to his room. He barely ever slept anymore, he always watched the door. Dim eyes stayed trained on the door. He felt the presence of the one sleeping in the chair across the room, the one who had never left his side and yet never came close enough to touch him. He was afraid of shattering what was left of his porcelain life. What the man didn't realize was that he was already broken beyond what he believed could be repaired.

He knew he should be thankful for the encouraging, understanding presence of his lover, but often it made him feel even weaker, inadequate, pathetic. _Why does he stay?_ he wondered as he did at least one hundred times a day. _Why can I not leave?_ He knew it was wrong to seek comfort where he did not deserve it. He had brought this on himself, it was his fault, and yet his lover would never accept it when he told him so. He was supportive and caring, trying his hardest to heal the scars of his mind, heart, and soul. _But they will never heal,_ he told himself. _Healing can only come to those worthy of it._

It was then that he felt the reoccurring, yet still sudden, sense of filth, of dirt clinging to his body. He needed to be clean. He had get clean. Slowly, he lifted himself up from the bed, his body healed by his lover and yet still sore. He crossed the room stealthily, though not with his normal grace. He cast one last soft look at the man in the reclining chair before exiting the room into the dark hallway. He knew where he was going, had done this for a week and a half of the two weeks since the…

__

Don't this about it, don't think about it… he repeated to himself much like a mental mantra, a ward against what lurked in the shadows of the night and his mind. His eyes flashed everywhere, never settling on anything in particular, but letting nothing go from his sight. His was tense and alert like a wounded fox during the hunt. The hunter was outside, his hounds sniffing for him, it was just a matter or time before…

__

DON'T THINK ABOUT IT! his head started to throb as he pushed open the door to the bathroom. He turned on the light, reveling in the slight pain that he felt from his pupils' shocked at the instantaneous brilliance. It was all that he could feel, all that he would let himself acknowledge. Pain was his friend, let him know the truth about himself all that he was good for. He locked the door and ran the water, letting it heat up to a scalding point, no cold to temper it.

His clothes were his lover's, and hung off of him. His own fit too nicely, he couldn't stand to have something so close to him, not even his clothes, not even his own skin. He removed them easily and then forced himself to stepped into the fiery liquid. " Burn away my sins, my shame," he whispered in a soft voice. " Wash away the emptiness." He could already feel his skin beginning to blister, but also knew that with the new connection that he had with his armor it would heal by noon at the latest.

__

They should not have reconnected us, he thought sadly. _Now Korin is forced to endure my shame and dishonor as well._ His hand touched the scar on his chest, the brand that ever reminded him of his ordeal, that would never allow him to forget. His now lengthening nails dug into the upraised flesh, scratching at it. He let out a short breathy hiss of pain, knowing that the scar would begin to bleed if he clenched at it and tighter. He wanted it to bleed, wanted the pain so he wouldn't forget.

" _Why must you hurt yourself so?_"

He looked up his ears not sure of what they had heard. He knew no one else was in the bathroom, at least he believed this until he felt the unearthly ghosting of a hand over the one that was grasped around the cursed scar. He turned his head, body thrown against the wall of the stall for the tub. Eyes no longer of the same color met deep green much like one of their own.

" Sh-Shuten…" Seiji's eyes were wide and disbelieving.

A sad smile crossed the transparent features of the once-living warrior. " _Korin,_" he spoke. " _I have waited long to speak with you._"

The blonde's eyes were still wide. " N-No," he whispered. " You're not here, just in my mind. Just in my mind."

The saddened look deepened into the redhead's features. " _I am sorry Korin, but in a way you are right…I am in your mind…and in your soul. To restore your broken spirit, I in turn had to fuse my own to it._"

The two different eyes continued to stare as the mind took in this information. " You…You 'fused' yourself with me? You are the one who saved me? Who sent me back?"

" _Yes_," he admitted. " _It was I. I battled the demon spirit of one called Shikaisen; he poisoned your soul and mind with darkness and despair. Even now I have not filtered out all of his evil venom._"

" I don't understand," he whispered with shocked eyes. " Shikaisen is dead. W-we killed him!"

" _I know,_" Shuten sighed. "_ I know everything that has happened to you, everything you thought, felt, everything. You should feel everything from me, if you would only look. Our spirits our joined; we have he ability know everything about the other. I know about what this Shikaisen did you to, all of it, and what it has led to._"

Seiji took in his words before a look of anger crossed his features. Shuten could feel the anger within the blonde as well. He wanted him to be angry. It was one of many emotions that Seiji had tried to smother in the past two weeks. He couldn't hide his apprehension and most of the time his fear was open, but not seen. But his anger towards what had been done was locked inside, the tears he refused to cry hidden behind that shield. The blonde was afraid of what would happen if he became angry, for it was so deep and so desperate and so full of hate that he knew it would lash out at any and everyone around him. He wouldn't cry, he knew that he had shed tears before the men who had done this to him and refused to do so ever again. No one would see him cry. No one would see his anger…until now.

" Why have you done this to me?" Seiji demanded. " Why have you forced me to remain here when I wanted death?"

" _That was the poison that Shikaisen seeped into you mind and soul,_" the former Oni Masho tried to reason. " _It is the reason why you felt such despair, why you called for death. He darkened your thoughts, sent a voice to your conscience to eat away at you. Have you not noticed it is no longer there?_"

The blonde's anger faded at those words. The Voice? Shikaisen had sent him the voice? It was indeed gone, had not come to him since that fateful night. Shuten had gotten rid of it? But why? Why would he do all of this for him?

" _Because you are a brave and honorable soul,_" Shuten replied to his inner wonderings. " _And Anubis loves you as much as you do him. Do not push him away because you fear his comfort. He does mot wish to bring you any more pain. He wants to help you. Open our link, look for me. You know what I say and feel are true._"

" Open our link?" Seiji repeated.

" _Feel me,_" Shuten explained. " _I am much like your other half, another part of yourself, only with my own free will._"

The blonde didn't believe that the late Masho was lying. Shuten was many things in his time, but never once had Seiji ever thought of him as a liar. _But do I truly wish to risk him in my mind, my thoughts?_ he wondered. _He offers solace, hope…can I accept this?_ _But if might a trap…he could be lying. What if he is angry with me for dishonoring Anubis' love?_

" _No Korin…Seiji, I do to wish to harm you,_" Shuten quickly went to dispel his fears. " _Look at me, feel my soul. Know I speak the truth."_

His words worked in his defense. Seiji had never known Oni to call him by anything other than his Yoroi, never once by his true name. He searched himself, hoping that for once… his wishes had not been misplaced. The only good thing in his life was Anubis, but now he could not even allow the man to touch him without fear. It was the irony of getting what you wish for. He was determined not to let himself be pulled in like that again.

But he felt a sense of peace, of concern, honesty that he himself knew was not of his own mind. His soul was in turmoil with his sadness, incapable of this serenity while the invisible scars still burned deep. The emotions felt different than himself, more assured than how he had been as of the past year and calm. _Is this you Shuten?_ he asked, knowing somehow that the phantom could indeed hear him.

" _Yes, it is me,_" he agreed. " _Do you now believe me? Do you now know I seek to bring no harm?_"

The swordsman didn't know what to actually believe. He wanted to think that someone was there, someone who knew exactly how he felt within without him having to explain. But he knew that to hope would mean he was more vulnerable than he already was. He couldn't let himself be tricked into anything, like when he had gone to New York, or when he left himself open at the club…when Nickson had found him. No, he couldn't let something like that happen ever again.

" _Let go of your pain, Seiji,_" Shuten implored him. " _What you feel inside is not wrong, this hurt you feel will not simply go away. You can't fight it off like one of your opponents, it will only become stronger. You must accept it and learn to overcome it with the help of others, with Anubis' help._"

That caught Seiji's attention. " No!" he hissed vehemently. " I will not bring him into this anymore than I already have. He fears to touch me, to hurt me, and at the same time I fear his touch, fear any and all forms of touch. You cannot imagine how deeply I long to feel him comfort me…to know that he still cares for me. But he can't touch me…I can't let him touch me. I am soiled, dirty, a broken toy. This scar upon my chest shows so. It is the proving reminder of what I once refused to accept. Many have used, played with me for their own benefit, Arago, Shikaisen, N-Nickson, even my own family at times. I understand now that is all shall ever be good for…"

He felt the ghostly extension as it connected with his face, feeling far more solid than the blonde thought possible. His head was tossed to the side and his hands quickly went to his face. His cheek stung and his eyes were wide. Shuten had struck him.

" _Your senseless self-pity is unbelievable,_" the red-haired spirit stated. " _Who are you and what have you done with Korin no Seiji? For surely, the Warrior of Light would never act so pitifully and with such little honor. Yes, horrid things have happened to you, and in consecutive intervals, but you let it eat at you, feeding the shadow that resides within you even more. The poison Shikaisen left in his wake will only become more potent if you allow this._"

The blonde had a dark look in his eyes, one Shuten remembered well. Oni wanted that look. It meant that he was angry and angry was how he wanted him. He was not Anubis, who could use soft words and physical comfort to ease his love's soul, Seiji would not allow Anubis too near. So Shuten knew he had to try a different approach, one he knew that worked time after time on quite a few people he had known in his past life and on his own brother Masho.

" What would you know of this Darkness, besides who left it?" Seiji inquired harshly. " You do not know how I feel as if I'm about to be smothered, this emptiness ready to swallow my very being. My body shakes from the force of its power and yet I try to fight, I try to fight a battle that I have long known is futile."

" _That is why you must learn to accept what has been done to you, not simply allow it to overrun your heart,_" Shuten reasoned. " _What true warrior gives in to such despair without truly fighting back? I know the Darkness you feel, the Shadow that takes hold of you. I can feel it within me for it is within you. And if it should truly take you then know that I am also lost._"

Lavender/blue and green had a confused look in them before a shine of realization took over. " Our bond?" he said. " But you are already dead. Should I pass on, will you not merely return to the spiritual plane as well?"

"_ No, nothing is that simple,_" Shuten replied. " _I have foreclosed my right to go to the planes of the soul. It is the pact that I have set. Should the Darkness win even with my help, I shall be lost to a world of shadowed mists called the Abyss of the Forsaken. But should you overcome this, I shall be allowed to go free to the Spiritual Planes. So would you set my demise in stone as well, for I might very well be dead, but would you give up my soul?_"

" I did not ask this of you," Seiji pointed out with a frown. " This will not be on my head should you be lost. I did not ask you to save me. I wanted to die, to let go finally and have some peace of mind, even if it was only in death."

" _And yet I know you will not be so selfish as to cost another their spiritual liveliness because you yourself seek oblivion,_" the redhead knew the boy before him, even if the blonde was not ready to face himself yet. He had been within his soul, felt his turmoil of emotions and saw the nightmarish images that accompanied them. While he was capable of blocking Anubis' from sensing his distress, he could not block out Shuten. He knew that he was too honorable, even though he though himself despoiled and disgraced.

Seiji wouldn't look at him. He was trapped, that was what Shuten had done to him. He had forced him into a situation he couldn't leave. If he died prematurely, Shuten's soul would be forfeit and he couldn't let that happen. Even if he was nothing more that dirtied leftovers of the person he had once been, he would not, could not, do such a thing to the former Oni Masho. " Why must you torture me so?" he asked in a small whisper, pulling his knees closer to him in the quickly chilling water of his bath. His skin was still raw and red, the more sensitive areas blistering. Through the entire time he had not felt any fear of being so barely shown to the spirit, nor any apprehension, save at his shocking advent. _Why do I not fear as I fear all others?_ he wondered. _Why does neither my skin not crawl nor my stomach churn?_

" _You do not fear me because I am part of you,_" Shuten explained. " _And while your mind might not want to accept it, your soul already knows. You should not be so withholding Korin, you are one who usually listens to their spirit, their instincts and intuition._"

Seiji shook his head harshly, putting his hands against his temples. " Get out of my head!" he shouted. " Stop reading my thoughts! You have no right!" He picked up the soap from the counter above beside his head and through it as hard as he could at the transparent warrior. The soap sailed through the air with a slight whistling noise before crashing into the mirror above the sink and shattering the glass. Seiji's eyes flickered about the room. Shuten was gone. _It was just in my head,_ he told himself. _It was just in my head. That's why I felt all of this. It was just all in my head. I'm just going crazy, nothing to worry about. I am halfway there already._

Suddenly there was knocking on the door. " Seiji, are you all right?" It was Anubis. " Seiji, please open the door."

The blonde didn't answer him. He continued to stare at the still connected shards of the broken mirror above the sink. He heard the lock jiggling and then the turning of the knob but didn't register anything until the sound of Anubis' voice as he entered the formerly locked room. " Seiji? What happened?" He then shut the door behind him to keep out Naaza and Rajura.

Korin looked away, not wanting to admit his embarrassment, especially not to his lover. " I…I…" he didn't know what to say. Instead he pulled his knees closer to his chest, trying to hide the scars there. They had been the only ones not to heal, his brand and the two slashes down his abdomen.

The blue-haired man turned and saw the soap among the broken shards in the sink dish. " The mirror, did you…?"

" I-I am sorry," Seiji cut him off. " I didn't mean to break it. I-I threw the soap and it hit the mirror and…"

" It's all right," Anubis told him. " You don't have to worry so much. I will give Rajura a reason to finally redo the bathroom like he's being wanting to. Naaza wouldn't let him before." He stepped forward and kneeled net to the tub, his eyes seeking out the ones hidden behind lengthening locks of dull gold. Seiji's hair grew quickly, but the blonde usually kept it cut to a little below his neck. Now he was letting it grow out, as a way to hide his now abnormal eyes. Anubis still didn't understand why his eyes had been changed. But Rajura had said that Shuten had done something, made some agreement to save Seiji's life because he was now gone, unable to be reached.

__

Was your sacrifice worth it? Anubis wondered sadly about his former love. _Seiji is so scared and afraid, so unstable. Was it right for us to deny him death, the freedom he needs so badly?_ It was too late now, Seiji couldn't die. With his renewed bond with his armor, his wounds healed too quickly. Anubis found that out when he found the blonde lying in a pool of blood eight days before, unconscious from repeatedly cutting his wrists, but not a wound to be seen.

" Why did you throw the soap?" he asked the blonde.

Seiji was silent for a moment. " I was angry…at myself," he replied lowly. " I-I'm sorry for letting my anger go out of control."

Anubis shook his head before looking back the other boy. " It is all- Seiji what happened to your face?"

The swordsman reached up to his cheek, still feeling the slight sting from Shuten's strike. _No,_ he thought. _It wasn't real, it wasn't real! It was just my worn mind toying with me. It couldn't…_

" Seiji?" Anubis stepped closer, albeit carefully so as to not startle the younger of the two. " I knew you left the room…I wanted to come after you at first, but decided to wait. Now I see I should have listened to my instincts. You have to stop doing this _Akarui_, my light."

The blonde looked up at him. Anubis had taken to calling him that often as of late. He would repeat that no matter what Seiji thought of himself, he would always be the light that kept the blue-haired man alive. It always made him feel even lower than he had before. Anubis reached out a hand, causing Seiji to stiffen and lean farther to the wall, but instead grabbed the washcloth and dipped it into the cool water.

" You scalded your skin again," he pointed out. " If you don't soothe them then they will feel worse before Korin can heal them."

" I don't want them healed," he replied stoically.

" But they shall still heal, Korin worries over you constantly, keeping itself from dormancy." Yami ran the wet cloth over the blonde's arm, causing him to twist about in the water, splashing some over the side onto Anubis and the floor.

Bi-colored eyes held a guilty gaze. " Gomen nasai," he murmured. " I-"

" Stop apologizing," Anubis cut in. " You have apologized for everything small thing you've done, or believe yourself to have done, incorrectly for two weeks. You must see that not everything is your fault."

" I am-" A finger pressed against his lips, silencing him.

" If you say those three words one more time I will shatter the entire sink and not just the mirror." It was obvious that his lover was becoming exceedingly frustrated. " Your guilt, shame, and despair has taken such root that each person that is close to you has become bogged down by its weight." Anubis didn't know why he felt like this was right, that this was the time he needed to push Seiji. Something told him that maybe, just maybe he could finally reach the blonde that night, if only he went a step further than he had done before.

" You must realize that you are not to blame and if you do not, I will continue to remind you until the day that we part this world and even after," he swore. " You know I love you, I have told you so everyday since that rainy night so long ago. Is it that you don't believe that I love you enough? Have I done something that has caused you to doubt my worthiness of _your_ love?"

There was a sadness and uncertainty within the midnight blue eyes of his love that Seiji had never known could exist there. _And I am the cause of it!_ " No Anubis!" he shook his head. " It is I that am not worthy of your love nor your forgiveness."

" And who but I can decide who is or is not worthy of my affections and acceptance?" he asked. " I say that I forgive you, can you take away that forgiveness? I say I love you, can you take away that love? Can you make me forget that I love you? No, so I love and forgive you still. That ha not and will not change, no matter how much you think it should. The question is, can you forgive yourself? Can you love yourself _and_ me?"

This caused the bi-colored eyes to turn away. " No, I cannot forgive myself and I shall not love myself for within in me are sins too great to forgive and nothing left to love."

" But can you love me?" Anubis asked. " You didn't answer that."

" I…" Seiji's voice died away. Tears filled his eyes and the proverbial 'knot' tightened in his throat. He couldn't say anything.

A dark look came over the man's deep blue eyes. " I see," he nodded. " But hat does not mean I will turn my back on you. I will help you through this Seiji, even if it means nothing for us in the end." He could feel tears coming to his eyes. Was this how things were to be? After everything, he would still lose Seiji? What was the entire point behind this then? To test their love? The Gods must have been either very disappointed or they had gone too far and their relationship was ruined. What relationship could they have had anyway when Seiji couldn't stand to be touched in any way, even to be comforted?

He stood up, backing away from the bathtub, his eyes not on the one he left there. " I shall leave you to you bath, call me once you are finished so that I may clean up the glass from the mirror," he told him.

The blonde's eyes were wide and filled with tears. He couldn't believe it. Anubis was giving up on their relationship. _Isn't this what you wanted?_ he asked himself. _Didn't you want to push him away?_ He didn't know what he wanted. _He-He's everything to me…He's stood by me through all of this. But I pushed him away. I can't do this…I can't do this without him. _He knew he might never heal from the 'incident'. He knew that he might never let Anubis touch him intimately ever again. But what reason did he have to go on if he lost him in the end?

__

That's it…he told himself. _I don't want to lose him…I don't want him to go away or me have to leave him. Oh Gods, I need him so much and yet…I don't know if I can do this. Everything's different now. I'm…I'm so broken._

/ But what point would there be if he was gone? Who would you have to turn to? / The words shifted through his mind so slowly, but giving him such answers he didn't think he could find. He couldn't lose Anubis…he didn't know how to survive if he did.

The dark-haired man was practically out the door when he heard his name being called. He turned around and stared at the shaking form in the chilling water. He wanted so bad to be able to run and hold the trembling form in his arms, to try and make him forget any of this had ever happened and that they were still the same happily passionate couple they had been two weeks before. But he knew it was too late.

" Pl-Please…" Seiji started, his voice caught in his throat. " Please…don't go, don't-don't leave me."

" I will be there for you as long as you need me to be," Yami assured him. " But I can only heal so much…some things just aren't meant to be. Maybe _we_ were one of those things." With a saddened look in his eyes Anubis exited the room and shut the door behind himself. He could feel the eyes burning into his back.

" He will never let me touch him again, we weren't meant to be," he spoke, knowing the person could hear him.

" Time is what heals more thoroughly than anything else," Rajura replied. " Will you let him go so easily."

" I must," he stated with conviction. " He won't be able to heal if he thinks that all I want from him is for him to get better only so I can sleep with him. He has to believe that it doesn't matter. If we are not meant to be, it does not matter."

The white-haired warrior shook his head. " What reason does he have to heal if you are not there at the end for him."

" But I will be there," he countered. " There just will not be an 'us' at the end. It's better for him that way."

" You haven't told him," he stated.

" No," he said. " It will only make it worse for him to know that one of them is still alive."

" They found hat girl's body," the other went on. " She was left in a barrel of battery acid and left by a trash bin behind the police station parking lot. The think she might have still been alive when she was bolted in."

Anubis took in a deep breath. " More of a reason for him to heal," he thought. " He can better defend himself If not in a state such as this constantly. I will not always be there to protect him, I know that now. And he is a warrior, he must rekindle that fire he lost so long ago."

" Are you so certain that this is for the best?"

" No," the other admitted. " But our love is what hurt us both this way. To heal, there must not be the same problem. He will feel my pain and I will feel his. The cycle will never end. He-We _both_ must heal from this or else there was no point in the first place." The Gen Masho could tell that it was hard for Anubis to admit such things, to show any form of weakness. It had never been the way of the former war general.

" But you know that you shall hurt him deeply if you reject him now," Rajura wanted him to see sense, to know that this did not have to be their only option.

" I will not reject him, only put a stop to the progression of our intimacy," he sighed, a wistful tone in his voice. " I could never reject him." He then continued down the hall to his own room, the one he had rarely seen in two weeks. " I need to collect some clothing for Seiji," he spoke absently before entering the room. He had stayed by Seiji's side in he guest room the entire time and only went into his room for clothing or something he thought might make the blonde more comfortable.

__

I only hope that this does not cause the rift between them to widen, Rajura prayed before shaking his head dismally. _As I know it will._ He spared a short glance at the bathroom door before returning to his own room where he knew his lover would be waiting. He knew that Naaza also would be in the mood, but he himself just did not have the drive for it that night. Something was going to happen, something that none of them were ready for and he couldn't stop it. He wasn't even sure 'WHEN' it would happen. It just wasn't his place to interfere and it would only cause more harm than good.

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He stared at the picture in his hand, the identification card that had been his ever-faithful companion for the past two weeks. He ran a finger over the blonde hair of the man in the photo before trailing down to the left side of the chest that was part of the image. He knew the man didn't look like he did in the picture anymore, he made sure of that.

" I'll be waiting for you my pet," he whispered. " I know where I can find you. But I will be patient. I want you to get better, so that I can try and break you all over again. Toys are always more fun after they've been put back together." He then slid the ID into his breast pocket and patted it like one would a fragile piece of glass. " I can't wait until we see each other again. I'll get to meet all the people that are important to you, let them know just who you belong to…me."

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JC: Don't be mad…there will be another story! _Recurrence of Terror_ is the third and hopefully final story in this series.

Kathrine: Yeah, but there is something we plan to do in it that we hope people don't get mad at us for.

JC: But the ending of that one will be real big. But as for this one…how did you like it? Leave a review and tell us.

Kathrine: Don't expect the next story for a while though, we have LOTS of other work to do.

JC: Bye yall! Until next time.


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